Federal auto czar to discuss energy grant in Mich.

White House auto recovery czar to discuss Detroit's share of $3.4B plan to upgrade power grid

• On 11:55 am EDT, Thursday October 29, 2009

DETROIT (AP) -- The White House auto recovery czar will meet in Detroit with energy workers and political leaders to discuss a local $83 million federal stimulus grant that's part of a $3.4 billion effort to modernize the U.S. power grid.

Ed Montgomery, head of the White House Council on Auto Communities and Workers, is scheduled to visit DTE Energy Co.'s headquarters Thursday. He and others will outline the grant to DTE Energy, which the utility is matching so it can install a network of 660,000 advanced electric meters to its customers and make other enhancements to its system.

President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced the plan designed to give consumers better control over electricity usage and costs and spur development of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.