NORCROSS, Ga., Dec. 17, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comverge Inc., the leading provider of demand management solutions for electric utilities, today announced that approximately 50 percent of eligible customers have now enrolled in the demand response program it manages for Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI) in its Pepco Maryland territory. The program, Energy Wise Rewards, enables PHI customers to take more control over their energy usage, save money on their energy costs, and take a big step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Launched in 2009, Energy Wise Rewards continues to gain momentum; more than 360,000 participants are enrolled in the program and have an energy management device installed on their premises.
"We have worked closely with PHI to develop a comprehensive and innovative demand response program that would help PHI enhance the customer experience and meet the regulatory mandates outlined by the EmPOWER Maryland initiative," said Gregory J. Dukat, Comverge chairman, president and CEO. "The customer recruitment results we've delivered together are simply incredible, and it is a reflection of our tremendous partnership that we've been able to enroll approximately 50 percent of eligible customers in the Pepco territory into the Energy Wise Rewards program. This demonstrates that customers are eager to participate in a demand response program once they understand that it helps deliver a more reliable and sustainable electric grid, as well as lower energy costs."
The success of the Energy Wise Rewards program has given PHI and its subsidiaries the ability to control 300 MW of energy, which is the equivalent of the energy consumed by nearly 200,000 homes per year. As a result, the PHI Energy Wise Rewards program has received multiple industry awards, including the POWERGRID International 2014 Project of the Year Award for Demand Response and Energy Efficiency Programs and the 2012 Platts Global Energy Award of Excellence.
One of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, PHI serves approximately two million customers through its subsidiaries: Pepco, Delmarva Power & Light, and Atlantic City Electric. PHI selected Comverge in 2009 to implement a demand response program that would enhance the customer experience and enable it to meet energy savings goals. As a result, PHI launched Energy Wise Rewards. Key elements of this program include customer choice in load control devices; multiple curtail cycling levels; Web-programmability in the thermostats to improve customer convenience and satisfaction; and upgradable devices. To successfully deploy the program, Comverge provided demand response software and hardware, as well as installation and marketing services.
"Comverge has been a great partner to work with over the years, and they have played a critical role in helping us achieve our ambitious program objectives," said Jay Demarest, customer relations and programs director, Pepco Holdings, Inc.
About Comverge
Comverge is an industry-leading provider of integrated demand response, energy efficiency and customer engagement solutions that enable electric utilities to ensure grid reliability, lower energy costs, meet regulatory demands and enhance the customer experience. Through its combination of software, hardware and services, Comverge helps utilities optimize every aspect of a demand management program, from participant recruitment and device installation to call center support, control events and measurement and verification. Comverge has worked with hundreds of electric utilities to deploy nearly six million energy management devices and enroll more than 1.6 million residential customers into mass-market demand management programs. For more information, visit www.comverge.com and follow us on Twitter at @Comverge.