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Lambton College enrolls in OPA’s DR3 program

SARNIA, ON and NEW YORK — Bluewater Power Distribution Corporation, an Ontario-based provider of electrical distribution services serving the Sarnia, Ontario area and CPower, a leading energy management and demand response firm, announced the enrollment of Lambton College into the Ontario Power Authority's (OPA) Demand Response 3 (DR3) program. The companies collaborated with the college to identify opportunities for participation in the program, which aims to reduce electricity usage for short periods in response to stress on the region's electric grid. In Ontario, CPower partners with Direct Energy Business to manage client participation in the OPA DR3 program.

By participating in the OPA DR3 program, Lambton College will commit to curtailing as much as 300 kilowatts (kW) of energy when called upon by the OPA. During a demand response event, Lambton College will enact its curtailment plan that was developed with Bluewater Power and CPower and verified by live testing. Energy will be curtailed primarily during summer months through Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) related reductions. For its participation, Lambton College will earn a new stream of revenue, which it will use to continue its existing program of energy conservation retrofits.

"We applaud Lambton College for its efforts to embrace the OPA's program and for demonstrating leadership in the community, as it is the first institution in our territory to enroll," said David Mackay, Conservation and Demand Side Management Coordinator at Bluewater Power. "We have full confidence that the college's participation will be a success and that the local community will take note of its commitment to sustainability."

"Lambton College takes pride in being a pioneer in educating students on emerging energy technologies, particularly through our Alternative Energy Engineering Technology Program," said Paul Mantle, Director of Facilities Management at Lambton College. "As educators, we have a responsibility to our students and our community to implement internal programs that reflect our mission and are very excited to be participating in the OPA DR3 Program through Bluewater Power and CPower."

With peak demand in Ontario continuing to grow, an aging electricity infrastructure, growing environmental concerns and the Province's goal of eliminating 6,000MW of coal generation, the OPA initiated the DR3 program to ensure a reliable and environmentally conscious electricity supply. Program participants are paid an "Availability Payment" for their commitment to curtail and a "Utilization Payment" for their actual curtailment delivered during a demand response event. In 2008, the OPA awarded both CPower and its partner, Direct Energy Business, contracts to facilitate client participation in the DR3 program. Together, CPower and Direct Energy provide Ontario electricity customers services for turnkey demand response program participation.

"Bluewater Power, CPower and Direct Energy Business are committed to helping energy users participate in energy efficiency and grid reliability, and be compensated for their efforts. Our OPA DR3 program in Ontario is an important and effective means of enabling clients such as Lambton College to help Ontario achieve its energy efficiency goals via participation in one of the most lucrative demand response programs in North America, and to deploy those new revenues toward their own specific energy reduction projects," said CPower CEO Gary Fromer.

To learn more about CPower, visit www.cpowered.com.

February 24, 2010  By Newswire