Harris Corporation Network to Provide Early Warning of Potential Disturbances in Regional Electric Grid for Western U.S. and Canada

MELBOURNE, Fla., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights:

• Wide area network to support the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and other participating organizations
• Key component in implementing real-time vulnerability detection in region's electric grid
• Enables organizations to take timely actions that help avoid widespread system blackouts

Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has been awarded a five-year contract to provide a wide-area network that will help detect and avert regional electrical system disturbances in a service area that extends from Canada through 14 western U.S. states.  

The private network will enable the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), a forum for promoting regional electric service reliability, and other participating entities, to take timely actions to avoid widespread system blackouts.  

The Harris network is key to the implementation of the Western Interconnection Synchrophasor Program (WISP), whose goal is to install more than 250 new or upgraded Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) across the region.  These synchrophasors can identify and analyze system vulnerabilities in real time, and can detect evolving disturbances in the region's bulk electric system.  In addition to detecting electric system disruptions, synchrophasor technology can help companies see and manage intermittent renewable resources.  

Harris initially will provide the low-latency, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network between 18 Western power utilities at 29 different sites and two large WECC data centers.  The WECC is the largest and most diverse North American Electric Reliability Corporation Regional Entity. The system is scheduled for completion in 2013.

"The Harris network will help to ensure that WECC customers have uninterrupted electric service, as well as provide the council and participating entities with maximum insight into managing their energy resources," said Sheldon Fox, group president, Harris Government Communications Systems. "The WECC is a new customer to Harris, and they have placed their trust in our proven networking technology and our people."

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries.  Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $6 billion of annual revenue and more than 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists.  Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services.  Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

SOURCE Harris Corporation

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