eMeter, UtiliPoint, Mincom, Sensus, Comverge Help Customers Conserve Energy



    SAN MATEO, Calif., July 23 /EMWNews/ -- eMeter Strategic Consulting

announced today the successful launch of the PowerCentsDC(TM) residential

smart meter and smart pricing pilot, where 1,200 customers will use a

combination of technology and innovative rate structures to reduce

electricity usage. The pilot is sponsored by the Smart Meter Pilot Program,

Incorporated, a non-profit corporation consisting of the District of

Columbia Public Service Commission, Office of People's Counsel, Consumers

Utility Board, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Pepco

Holdings, Inc.



    The program is managed by eMeter and UtiliPoint International, Inc. It

is the first in the world to test smart metering with three different

advanced residential rate options: Hourly Pricing, Critical Peak Pricing

and Critical Peak Rebate. Each of these pricing options is coupled with

technology provided by Sensus and Mincom to measure usage and bill

customers in the pilot. Comverge (Nasdaq: COMV) is providing smart

thermostats to enable participants to save through automatic, remote

control of their air conditioners.



    "PowerCentsDC strongly emphasizes the consumer experience," explains

Chris King, president of eMeter Strategic Consulting. "The program promotes

a holistic approach to energy conservation, combining prices that encourage

load shifting to off peak times with tools and information that support

reduced energy consumption at all times of the day. Participants should

also decrease their carbon footprint using the program's features."



    UtiliPoint provides project management and rate design services for the

effort. The rates were designed and tested by UtiliPoint. The overall

systems integration and testing were managed by UtiliPoint and done in

close collaboration with Pepco, the local distribution utility. "UtiliPoint

is a strong believer that the distribution utility is changing not only in

North America, but globally as Smart Grids become a reality," said Jon T.

Brock, president & COO of UtiliPoint. "A strong project management office

that has good working relationships with the utility and multiple vendors

will be required to succeed in pilot and production efforts moving

forward."



    Sensus provides the two-way smart meters and radio network for

communicating with the meters. "Key components to the Smart Grid of the

future include a guaranteed communication network. With FlexNet, this pilot

will benefit from our Primary-Use licensed system, which allows real-time

information to be exchanged reliably and quickly between our iCon smart

meter and the utility, and ultimately to the consumer so that they can

react to pricing options," said Doug McCall, director AMI marketing at

Sensus.



    Mincom's SmartBill system provides billing for the three rate options,

integrating with Pepco's legacy system to maintain billing accuracy and

business process continuity. "The rollout of the PowerCentsDC program

proves SmartBill's ability to deliver a real-time, complex billing solution

for a residential demand response application, while preserving the

utility's investment in enterprise CIS," said Stan Royal, senior vice

president of Mincom Utility Solutions.



    Comverge supplies the smart thermostats for the program. In addition to

controlling air conditioners remotely, these thermostats provide vital

information to PowerCentsDC participants, including monthly usage to date,

monthly bill to date, and the price currently in effect.



    "This is a positive example of strategic alliances that move us forward

for the greater good of the community," said Robert M. Chiste, president,

chairman and CEO of Comverge. "With the Comverge SuperStat(R) smart

thermostat, we bring the consumer into the alliance, creating a seamless

deployment for the end user and ultimately, a reduction in the overall

congestion of the electricity grid."



    For more information on PowerCentsDC, visit:

http://www.powercentsdc.org/

    About eMeter



    With 23 million meters under contract, eMeter enables electric, gas,

and water utilities to realize the full benefits of their Advanced Metering

and Smart Grid initiatives through the EnergyIP(TM) software platform.

eMeter's experienced professional services team is available to plan,

install and configure the EnergyIP software, as well as provide strategic

consulting services related to meter data management, advanced metering and

demand response. http://www.emeter.com.



    About UtiliPoint(R) International, Inc.



    UtiliPoint is a leader in providing analysis and consulting services to

the energy and utility industry. Our 75-year history and over 500 clients

worldwide have led us to currently operate as an energy and utility

consulting and issues analysis firm. Our staff is comprised of leading

utility and energy experts with diverse backgrounds in utility generation,

transmission & distribution, retail markets, mergers and acquisitions, new

technologies, venture capital, information technology, outsourcing,

renewable energy, regulatory affairs, and international issues.

http://www.utilipoint.com.



    About Mincom



    Mincom Limited is an international company based in Brisbane,

Australia, with nearly 30 years' experience in providing business solutions

to asset-intensive industries such as mining, utilities, transport,

defence, and government in more than 40 countries.



    It is the fourth oldest Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) company and

has more than 1,250 staff in 18 offices across Australia, North America,

South America, South East Asia, Africa, and Europe. http://www.mincom.com.



    About Sensus



    The Sensus Metering Systems companies are leading world-class providers

of high-value metering, Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) and Advanced Metering

Infrastructure (AMI) system solutions for water, gas, electric, and heat

utilities as well as sub-metering entities worldwide. Additional linked

businesses include Smith-Blair, Inc. a leading provider of pipe clamp &

coupling products for the water, gas, and industrial markets; and Sensus

Precision Die Casting that produces complex, high quality die-castings.

http://www.sensus.com.



    About Comverge



    Comverge is a leading provider of clean energy solutions that improve

grid reliability and supply electric capacity on a more cost effective

basis than conventional alternatives by reducing base load and peak load

energy consumption. http://www.comverge.com.






     Contact Information:

     Chris King

     President

     eMeter Strategic Consulting

     (650) 227-7770

     [email protected]