HONOLULU, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the EEI Annual Convention and
Expo, Nevada Power Company and Invensys announced that they would conduct a
three phase marketing pilot of the GoodWatts(TM) energy management system in
southern Nevada this summer, and through 2004. The pilot will test an energy
management system designed to reduce peak power demands with a resulting
benefit for homeowners and utilities as well as the environment in general.
GoodWatts, a new energy management system, allows utilities to remotely
control air conditioning systems and other high load appliances over a managed
and secure IP network. By using a secure Internet site, homeowners can view
their electricity consumption and control their in-house systems. Operating
over an existing 'always on' connection, GoodWatts gives both utilities and
homeowners a tool to help manage energy consumption. As a result, the utility
is able to reduce capacity requirements during some peak periods when demands
on the electrical grid are typically the highest.
The pilot, primarily focused in Las Vegas, will occur in three phases over
the two years and will ultimately include more than 1000 residences. The
first phase this summer will include approximately 50 homes in the Las Vegas
area. The companies want to learn how homes and homeowners will react to
having the GoodWatts system in place and will use the initial findings to
fine-tune the program with each phase going forward.
The GoodWatts system works by shifting large household energy loads from
peak to off-peak times of the day (when energy is usually less expensive for
the utility to generate or purchase). The system gathers data on the
immediate (real time) energy requirements of specific loads in each home.
This information gives the utility the ability to control loads during peak
periods in an environmentally sensitive and cost effective way.
At the same time, the system gives the homeowner a tool to proactively
manage monthly energy costs. The GoodWatts system can be installed in any
home with access to an "always on" network, such as cable, DSL or wireless.
However, a customer who uses the GoodWatts system need not be a subscriber to
any service in order to benefit from this system.
By supplying real-time, verifiable data on energy usage, the GoodWatts
system allows the utility to more effectively exercise a load management plan
across the connected GoodWatts devices. However, while GoodWatts is a very
powerful tool that works to the benefit of the utility, ultimate control of
individual home devices still remains with the homeowner.
The GoodWatts system creates a new way of thinking in how utilities
perform load management, manage their capacity portfolio, meet security and
reliability requirements, and how they interface with their residential
customers. Nevada Power is planning to learn from this summer's pilot and,
with approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, hopes to extend
the GoodWatts system pilot to more homes in its service territory in the later
phases.
Walt Higgins, chairman and CEO of Sierra Pacific Resources, the parent
company of Nevada Power Company, said, "The GoodWatts system is setting a new
standard in residential energy management and as our community continues to
grow, it is our responsibility to provide customers with a variety of choices
in order to better manage their energy consumption. We are excited to test
this new service and welcome the opportunity to bring the benefits of this new
technology to Nevada homes."
By decreasing the requirements for peaking power, the GoodWatts system may
also have a positive environmental impact by reducing the use of non-renewable
fuel sources during peak periods. Amory Lovins of Rocky Mountain Institute
(RMI) has stated, "Always-on residential load management systems that can
provide firm negawatts represent a promising new market to provide demand
response for residential customers. RMI is confident that this truly
innovative approach will allow consumers to control their electrical demand,
from air conditioners to future 'smart' appliances, automatically in response
to price signals, without creating inconvenience. RMI also believes that
these types of systems can cost less than new capacity, reducing the need for
new power generation plants, transmission and distribution lines, resulting in
lower fuel use and emissions, and ultimately lower electricity rates for
consumers."
Invensys has been developing and testing the GoodWatts system over the
last two years and the resulting product is truly a unique approach to load
management. Historically known as a manufacturer of hardware components,
Invensys created the GoodWatts system using its expertise in hardware as well
as experience in product integration to create a system of communicating
products.
"Invensys has been a long time leading manufacturer of HVAC controls,
appliance controls, and environmental systems. With the GoodWatts system, we
have leveraged that experience to create a system that interacts with points
in the home, giving a new level of control to the homeowner," said Jim Devlin,
President of Invensys Home Control Systems. "In addition, because the system
measures loads and reductions in load with high accuracy, it is truly the
first tool of its kind that works effectively for the utility. Invensys sees
the GoodWatts system as an economically viable service that will be the first
of many Invensys enabled services to be delivered to the home over an always-
on connection."
Contact:
Andrea Smith
Nevada Power
(702) 367-5683
Asmith@nevp.com
Dru Mears
Invensys Home Control Systems
(804) 289-4480
Dru.Mears@invensys.com
About Nevada Power
Headquartered in Nevada, Sierra Pacific Resources (NYSE: SRP) is a holding
company whose principal subsidiaries are Nevada Power Company, the electric
utility for most of southern Nevada, and Sierra Pacific Power Company, the
electric utility for most of northern Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area of
California. Sierra Pacific Power Company also distributes natural gas in the
Reno-Sparks area of northern Nevada. Other subsidiaries include the Tuscarora
Gas Pipeline Company, which owns a 50 percent interest in an interstate
natural gas transmission partnership, several unregulated energy services
companies and Sierra Pacific Communications, a telecommunications network
development company.
About Invensys
Invensys is a global leader in production technology. The group helps
customers improve productivity, performance and profitability using innovative
services and technologies and a deep understanding of their industries and
applications.
Invensys operates in more than 60 countries, with its headquarters in
London. For more information, visit http://www.invensys.com .
SOURCE Nevada Power Company; Invensys
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Related links:
http://www.invensys.com
CONTACT:
Andrea Smith of Nevada Power Company,
+1-702-367-5683, Asmith@nevp.com; or Dru Mears of Invensys Home
Control Systems, +1-804-289-4480, Dru.Mears@invensys.com
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