The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is working with Israeli tech company mPrest to better regulate the state’s power plants and prevent power outages. MPrest is the tech firm that is behind the technology responsible for the development of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. In showing that it is able to adapt military technology to meet civilian needs, this Israeli tech company is demonstrating the possibilities that such technology can yield in U.S. domestic areas of security vulnerability.
Soon after New York underwent power outages from two of its largest power plants in 2012 and 2014, the NYPA brought forth its problem at an Israel Smart Energy Association (ISEA) conference, where it was presented with a solution by mPrest. MPrest’s remedy was to use the same defense technology of the Iron Dome system to monitor the plants. With funding from both parties and a $900,000 grant from the Israel-US Binational Industrial R&D Foundation (BIRD) to create the necessary software, New York now has three of its own “Iron Domes.”
The three power plants that are currently being monitored by this Israeli technology are the New York State Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped-Storage Power Plant and 500 MW plant in Queens, NY. New York further plans to use this kind of techonology to 50 more of its power transformers. The state’s Governor Andrew M. Cuomo expressed his excitement in this economic alliance, “New York’s collaboration with Israel’s mPrest on this cutting-edge technology is the latest example of how the strong economic ties between us are benefiting all New Yorkers.”
Overall, New York’s economic collaboration with mPrest demonstrates the mutual benefit that can be attained by both parties involved in U.S.-Israel economic cooperation: New York now has an effective and preemptive solution to its power outage issue and the Israeli tech industry has once again successfully showed how its expertise can be of great benefit to major U.S. cities that need more “out of the box” solutions to their technological problems.
Story Sources;
Update on the NY Power Plant: https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-yorks-power-plants-now-protected-using-israels-iron-dome-technology/
Governor Cuomo Announcement of Collaboration with mPrest: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-collaboration-israeli-software-company-provide-first-its-kind