ATLANTA, May 11, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Power quality services have grown for utilities as a way of providing customers with common-sense, energy-based services. But utilities are not offering these services -- even "for pay" engineering and consulting services -- with profit in mind. Rather, the overriding motivation for offering C&I customers with various power quality services and solutions is purely customer satisfaction, according to Chartwell's latest report, Power Quality Services for C&I Customers.
In Chartwell's survey of 72 electric utilities regarding the products/services they offer commercial and industrial customers, 67% offered power quality services, 4% were in the planning stages, and 11% were considering offering it within the next two years. Power quality services were the second most-commonly offered C&I product/service and the second most-considered C&I product/service, according to data presented in Power Quality Services for C&I Customers.
Most utilities offer various power quality services -- especially diagnostics and suggestions for mitigation -- for free. From there, they go into fee-based engineering and contracting services, which are simply too expensive to be offered for free. Again, however, profit is not the underlying motivation. Increasing customer satisfaction is.
The 25-page report includes not only Chartwell's proprietary survey data from 72 electric utilities, but also two in-depth case studies: one detailing the successful power quality program at MidAmerican Energy, and another profiling East Kentucky Power Cooperative's program.
Power Quality Services for C&I Customers, available from Chartwell for $350, is part of The Chartwell Utility Marketing Research Series, which covers products, services, marketing issues and customer relations. The Series is an ongoing information service that provides utility case studies; topical analysis and research; and a database of utilities and the products and services they offer. Members of the Research Series have input into the direction of the research and design of the survey instrument.
For more information about the ongoing Research Series, the Report on power quality services, or Chartwell's utility products/services database, please call Juli Collins at (800) 432-5879, or (404) 237-9099.
Press contact: Jennifer Allen, (404)237-9099 or jallen@chartwellinc.com