Press Releases
CPower and The SPi Group Team Up to Bring Electricity Savings to Ontario BusinessesCPower and The SPi Group Inc. will Provide Local Distribution Companies a Turn-Key Solution for Participation in Ontario’s Demand Response Program
NEW YORK - August 31, 2009 - CPower (www.cpowered.com), a leading energy management and demand response firm, and The SPi Group Inc. (SPi), a Toronto-based provider of services and solutions for the utility and energy industries, today announced a partnership which involves enrolling and managing end-use electricity customers of local distribution companies' (LDCs) for participation in the Ontario Power Authority's Demand Response 3 (DR3) program.
The DR3 program was initiated and created by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in response to Ontario's increasing peak demand, the aging electricity infrastructure and growing environmental concerns. In April 2008, the OPA awarded CPower a contract for its DR3 program, through which CPower provides turnkey services and significant payments to customers throughout the Province of Ontario for participation in demand response.
By participating in the OPA DR3 program, end-use electricity customers will be paid for their ability to reduce electricity usage at their facilities for short periods in response to grid needs. LDCs benefit by bringing more value to their customers. In addition, their customers' participation helps the LDCs meet their conservation obligations under Ontario's new Green Energy Act.
"We and our business partners are very excited to empower electricity users in Ontario to help ensure Ontario's grid stability and reliability, safeguard against grid failure, and earn market revenues for their participation," said Gary Fromer, CEO of CPower. "These important initiatives are vital to the Ontario power market's future, and, to that end, we look forward to working with The SPi Group to help increase participation in the DR3 program."
"The SPi Group partnered with CPower because of their experience in successfully delivering demand response to customers throughout North America. Our LDC's end-use electricity customers will immediately see positive results from our partnership with CPower," commented Ven Seshadri, CEO of The SPi Group. "Our streamlined enrollment and management process will kick-start their ability to participate in the DR3 program. This means that customers can start saving as much as 20 percent of their electricity costs and generating new revenue streams that enhance their bottom line or fund energy efficiency projects."
"We fully support the Ontario Power Authority's DR3 program, and hope that our customers will seriously examine this lucrative revenue generating opportunity," added David Mackay, Conservation & Demand Side Management Coordinator of Bluewater Power Distribution Corporation. "Through The SPi Group's LDC DR3 effort, Bluewater Power's collaboration with CPower, one of the leading demand response specialists in North America, will enhance Bluewater's expertise to enable companies to optimize the energy management strategies within their facilities, and earn payments from energy reductions. This partnership will be a key element in the movement towards improving system reliability that will benefit all Bluewater Power customers."
Additionally, by participating in the DR3 program, LDCs are able to secure revenue adjustment mechanism (LRAM) credits.
About CPower
CPower delivers targeted energy management services and solutions that enable companies to optimize their facilities and operations through strategic energy reduction initiatives and earn market payments for those reductions. Through its advocacy for energy users, and partnerships with utilities and grid operators, CPower works to design and manage programs that maximize the rewards for energy reductions, and provide reliable relief to grid operators. CPower works with clients across North America, including those in the major energy markets of New England, New York, the Mid-Atlantic region, Texas, California and Ontario. The company's clients range from medium to large energy users and span the industrial, commercial, retail and institutional markets, including Stanley Tools, CB Richard Ellis, Cushman Wakefield, Sears Holdings Corporation, NYU Langone Medical Center and the Massachusetts State Division of Capital Asset Management. To learn more, visit http://www.cpowered.com
About The SPi Group Inc.
The SPi Group Inc. (SPi) is a Toronto-based provider of products and services that offers solutions to address the challenges faced by retailers and utilities. SPi's team of highly skilled IT and energy professionals offers a complete technology portfolio of products and services that include secure, reliable and auditable data transport solutions and a variety of billing and settlement solutions, based on portable, open standards. SPi is a wholly owned subsidiary of ERTH Corporation. http://www.thespigroup.com
About ERTH Corporation
ERTH Corporation is a dynamic family of energy companies with a strategic vision to grow and invest in parallel businesses that collectively serve North America's energy and utility industries. The group's electricity distribution, services, consulting and software companies service over 180,000 customers in Canada and the United States. Visit http://www.erthcorp.com
CPower PR Contact:
Maureen Shaw
Senior Account Executive
Kwittken & Company
T: 646.747.7155
M: 917.597.9498
E: mshaw@kwitco.com
CPower Contact:
Michael Mindell
General Manager, Ontario
T: 212.796.7103
M: 917.692.3430
E: michael.mindell@cpowered.com
The SPi Group Inc. Contact:
Ron Osborne
Vice President Business Development and Sales
T: 416.408.1395 x 235
M: 416.527.4243
E: ron.osborne@thespigroup.com