NORCROSS, Ga., July 26, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comverge, Inc. (Nasdaq:COMV), a leading provider of Intelligent Energy Management solutions for Residential and Commercial + Industrial customers, today announced it delivered more than 1,250 megawatts (MW) of reduced electricity demand to commercial + industrial (C+I) and residential customers along the Eastern seaboard. These efforts were made necessary by a record breaking heat wave that, at its peak, put approximately 132 million people under a heat alert, and threatened grid reliability in 15 eastern states. Working with local utilities and grid operators on July 19-22, Comverge executed 54 mandatory curtailment programs that kept the lights on for more than 944,000 homes and 832 commercial and industrial sites.
"Over the last month the weather in many eastern states has been brutally hot with daily and overnight temperatures breaking numerous records," said Steve Moffitt, Chief Operating officer, Comverge. "Demand response has become such an integral part of our nation's energy mix and these events only solidify its importance to the millions of residential and C+I electricity consumers across the country. By leveraging our intelligent energy management software, hardware and services, utilities and grid operators can be confident in their ability to prevent blackouts even in the most challenging conditions."
This week's dispatch covered 12 electric utilities in 10 States, encompassing more than 944,000 homes and 832 commercial and industrial sites. The "always on" nature of the Comverge Network Operations Center helped the company seamlessly manage hundreds of data transactions without any interruptions in service. The ability to manage these requests was aided by Comverge's IntelliSOURCE platform, an operating environment that empowers the delivery of myriad energy management applications to customers.
"Over the last week, demand response has played a key role in meeting grid reliability by reducing our site load in concert with PJM's requirements," said Pete McBrien, Facilities Director, Pennswood Village in Newtown, PA. "Comverge has been an important partner to ensure we meet our grid obligation, at the same time meeting our tenant and customer needs."
On Friday, July 22 alone, Comverge executed 24 mandatory curtailment programs that kept the lights on for more than 353,000 homes and 527 commercial and industrial sites. The effort was in response to temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, New York's Central Park hit 100 F that day, with smoldering humidity making it feel like 116 F.
About Comverge
With more than 500 utility and 2,100 commercial customers, as well as five million residential deployments, Comverge brings unparalleled industry knowledge and experience to offer the most reliable, easy-to-use, and cost-effective intelligent energy management programs. We deliver the insight and control that enables energy providers and consumers to optimize their power usage through the industry's only proven, comprehensive set of technology, services and information management solutions. For more information, visit www.comverge.com.