EnergyAustralia Selects IBM for Smart Grid, Smart City Initiative ; Australia's first commercial-scale smart grid project to begin immediately

ARMONK, N.Y. and SYDNEY, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM)today announced its role as the systems integration partner for the$100 million Smart Grid, Smart City initiative led by theEnergyAustralia consortium. IBM will play a pivotal role, as amember of the consortium, in the development of Australia's firstsmart grid network, following the formal contract signing of thedeal between EnergyAustralia and the Australian Government.

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Under the agreement with EnergyAustralia, IBM will build on itsexisting work on EnergyAustralia's Smart Grid Program, to deliverdistributed generation, smart metering and demand managementsolutions.

This three-year project will begin immediately across five sitesin Sydney and the Hunter (Newcastle, Scone, Sydney CBD, Ku-ring-gaiand Newington). It will represent Australia's first commercial-scale smart grid. The technology will allow residents to see real-time analysis of electricity usage for their households and even forindividual appliances, to help them make better decisions aboutenergy efficiency in their homes and minimise their environmentalimpact.

The smart grid demonstration will also test real-time, complexinformation about grid performance in order to improve control overthe network for Australian energy transmission and distributioncompanies.

Smart grid infrastructure uses sensors, meters, digital servicesand analytic tools to automate, monitor and control the two-way flowof energy across operations - from power plant to plug. By combiningadvanced communication, sensing and metering infrastructure withexisting energy networks, smart grids enable the delivery of a moreefficient, robust and consumer-friendly electricity network.

Benefits include:

Energy efficiency: the system will enable sophisticated analysisof consumption patterns enabling a real-time view of energy use toidentify opportunities for reduction.

Analytics: customers will have an internet window to theirtechnical and commercial data, to track current consumption andchoose the most appropriate agreements.

"IBM is extremely proud to be a part of the successfulconsortium, and we're delighted with the Government's investment andsupport to broaden Australia's smart grid," said Glen Boreham, IBMAustralia & New Zealand Managing Director.

"The Smart Grid, Smart City demonstration is a critical step indeveloping the necessary infrastructure required to meet the energydemands of Australian citizens into the future."

"One of IBM's key priorities is to help utility companiestransform energy, environmental and sustainability issues intoopportunities that positively impact the world. Being a member ofthe consortium that will carry out this project is a reflection ofIBM's commitment to the energy industry and our vision for a smarterplanet," said Mr Boreham.

The EnergyAustralia Consortium consists of technology companiesincluding IBM and GE Energy Australia; AGL, Sydney Water, HunterWater and Newcastle City Council.

About IBM

IBM is involved in more than 150 Smart Grid engagements in matureand emerging markets. More about IBM's vision to bring a new levelof intelligence to how the world works--how every person, business,organisation, government, natural system, and man-made systeminteracts, can be found at: www.ibm.com/smarterplanet.

For more information about Smarter Energy at IBM, please visit:www.ibm.com/press/smarterenergy.

Media Contacts

Emily Horn

IBM Media Relations

+1 415 545 2634

horne@us.ibm.com

Kylie Yates

EnergyAustralia

+61 418 607 575

kylie.yates@energy.com.au

SOURCE IBM