PLMA Membership Grows to Over 75 Electric Utilities and Allies

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 10, 2015) -  PLMA (Peak Load Management Alliance) grew to over 75 electric utility and allied organization members in 2014, an increase of over 80% within two years. Recognized as "The Voice of Demand Response Practitioners", PLMA details its 2014 achievements in an Annual Report published today and available online at www.peakload.org/?page=2014Report.

Major 2014 achievements by the leading industry association that are noted in the report include:

• Growth to over 75 member organizations, from just 42 members at the end of 2012
• Launching a Demand Response Training Series which includes three in-person, interactive courses presented by industry experts at host utility locations
• Creation of Thermostat and Women in Demand Response Interest Groups
• Production of 18 DR Dialogue webcasts to promote industry thought leadership
• Record-setting attendance at its 15th Spring and Fall Conferences

PLMA Chair Paul Tyno notes in the report, "Two years ago PLMA developed a strategic vision, and this year we realized many of our goals, including instituting new executive leadership that better represents the full body of membership. Now more than ever, PLMA is an organization of radical inclusion -- and because we are a community of doers united in a common vision, this inclusion makes us stronger."

Upcoming PLMA activities in early 2015 include:

• DR Program Design and Implementation course to be presented at NV Energy on Feb. 18-19
• DR Markets course to be presented at Consumers Energy on March 25-26
• 12^th PLMA Awards with nominations due by March 2
• 16^th Spring Conference hosted by Tucson Electric Power on April 28-29

A key PLMA accomplishment in 2014 was the restructuring of its membership fee structure and benefits schedule. Based on utility industry and member input, the entire system was simplified. The membership structure is now based on four participation levels -- Associate, Advisory, Sustaining and Academic. Conference attendance passes are now built in to the packages with an option at the sustaining level to trade in half of the attendance passes for sponsorship. To meet the greater organizational objective of increasing utility participation -- both in membership growth and presenter/panel participation -- the fee structure was also revised.

PLMA Vice Chair Rich Philip of Duke Energy observes, "2014 was a year of substantial growth for PLMA -- we are now known within the industry as a place where DR practitioners can go to do a deeper dive, a place where people with like interests can come together to investigate and share ideas."

About PLMA. PLMA (Peak Load Management Alliance) is a non-profit organization founded in 1999 as the Voice of Demand Response Practitioners. It is a community of experts dedicated to sharing knowledge and resources to advance the demand response marketplace. PLMA's over 75 member organizations represent a broad range of energy professionals. Learn more at www.peakload.org.