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November 1, 2005
Eye On Operations, Efficiency, Growth; Public Power Magazine, November-December 2005
| For More Information |
Tim Blodgett
Hometown Connections
303-526-4515
tblodgett@hometownconnections.com
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New Products, Services; Expanded Sales Network
Hometown Connections is expanding its product portfolio to include SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems and power line-based metering. Hometown Connections is also expanding its local sales network to include the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency in South Carolina and ElectriCities of North Carolina.
Hometown Connections is the utility services subsidiary of the American Public Power Association securing discounted pricing, group packaging and high levels of service for APPA members. The products and services offered through Hometown Connections include:
--SCADA systems,
--advanced metering infrastructure over power lines,
--broadband Internet over power lines,
--customer information software,
--customer & employee research,
--automated external defibrillators,
--online energy information/audits,
--consulting in the areas of energy risk management, broadband communications, and business strategy development.
Since its founding in 1997, more than 500 public power utilities have collectively saved more than $9 million by making purchases through Hometown Connections.
Through a new strategic alliance, APPA members may purchase Survalent Technology equipment, software and services from Hometown Connections at national group pricing. Survalent Technology’s SCADA systems provide automated, real-time monitoring and control of facilities for publicly owned electric, water and gas utilities. Survalent Technology and Hometown Connections are making it easier and more cost-effective for APPA members to maintain the reliability of their transmission and distribution systems over a widespread geographic area.
Through a strategic partnership between Hometown Connections and Distribution Control Systems Inc., APPA members can purchase equipment, software and services from DCSI, taking advantage of national group benefits arranged by Hometown Connections. DCSI’s TWACS® (two-way automatic communication system) technology is the preeminent power line communication system for utilities deploying automatic information technologies, with more than eight million two-way devices installed or under contract. System capabilities include load management, demand response, interval data, time-of-use/critical peak pricing, line-voltage monitoring, outage assessment and restoration monitoring, remote service connect/disconnect, and tamper/theft detection using open architecture interfaces.
“APPA members are eager to improve operational efficiency and offer strong customer support programs by automating the management of electric, water and gas meters,” said Dennis Melton, chief operating officer of Hometown Connections. “By partnering with DCSI to offer the TWACS® solution, Hometown Connections will help APPA members deploy this state-of-the-art technology.”
The Piedmont Municipal Power Agency and ElectriCities of North Carolina are taking on direct sales responsibilities for Hometown Connections. The two organizations will work together to offer products and services to public power communities in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
”Piedmont Power is looking forward to working with Hometown Connections and ElectriCities to offer and provide Hometown Connections’ products and services to our communities. We feel that Hometown Connections will present benefits to our members, our communities, and our region,” said Don Ouchley, general manager of Piedmont Power.
“This new partnership with Hometown Connections correlates directly with ElectriCities’ mission of creating opportunities to provide maximum value to our member communities and customers,” said Jesse C. Tilton III, CEO of ElectriCities. “Our joint participation with Piedmont Power and Hometown Connections adds value to the comprehensive services we provide to our members.”
“We’re very pleased to welcome Piedmont Municipal Power Agency and ElectriCities of North Carolina as sales representatives for Hometown Connections,” said Tim Blodgett, president and CEO of Hometown Connections. “We know that local sales representatives are in the best position to identify the needs of a specific community and to make sure our product and service suppliers meet those needs successfully.”
At present, a network of 17 public power entities across the United States serve as Hometown Connections sales or marketing representatives. The local sales representatives work directly with the suppliers and the public power utilities in their state or region throughout the product inquiry, sale and delivery process. The eight public power local sales representatives are: Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, ElectriCities of North Carolina, American Municipal Power-Ohio, Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, Crawfordsville, Ind., Electric Light & Power, Walter McGrath (New England), and Bill Moss (Arkansas, Tennessee).
Local marketing representatives help advertise and promote the products and services offered by Hometown Connections. The nine public power local marketing representatives are: Energy Northwest, City of Safford, Ariz., Florida Municipal Electric Association, Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities, Indiana Municipal Electric Association, Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma, Illinois Municipal Utilities Association, Texas Public Power Association, and Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association.
See Hometown Connections web site for more information.
• Hometown Connections
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