In a move to enhance its existing “smart grid” technologies, networking giant Cisco is looking to buy Arch Rock, a wireless sensor networking company.

According to Rick Merritt from the EE Times, “Cisco Systems has announced it intends to buy wireless sensor networking startup Arch Rock as part of its growing portfolio of products for smart electric grids. The news comes three days after Cisco announced a partnership with smart meter maker Itron.”  The partnership will further the efforts of both companies to install and use “smart metering”, in-home devices wired into the electric grid to help homeowners and electric utilities make better use of our aging eletric system.

The two moves strengthen Cisco’s inititaive to drive “smart grid” technology, an inititative also championed by the National Institute for Standards and Technology and the IEEE.  According to the article, “the U.S. government has allocated more than $3 billion for projects that test out smart grid technologies.”  It may not happen overnight, but technology companies, electric utilities and the US government appear to be serious about fixing our antiquated electric grid.