Energy Curtailment Specialists

Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc. (ECS) began as a two man operation in 2001 and has since evolved into the leading authority on demand response, having more than 80 employees and an unmatched advisory team dedicated to the cause. Several years ago, the State of California experienced numerous blackouts, causing havoc and chaos amongst its businesses and residents. While most of those in the energy field began to focus more generally on the causes of the California crisis, ECS cofounders Glen Smith and Stephen Lynch were in New York thinking of ways to help prevent this type of situation in the future, not only in California, but across all parts of the country.

ECS' demand response programs, which include Operation Save New York and Cut Back California, include the largest pool of on call demand response resources in the country. ECS customers can bring several hundred megawatts of power off the electric grids. Those numbers are steadily rising as ECS rolls out its programs in several additional markets across the country, including New England, PJM, and Kansas City.

ECS' efforts began in New York where they gradually increased their customer base up to its current point, which represents about half of all mandatory curtailment megawatts in NYISO's program. ECS' dominant market share in New York, a state where about 40 other demand response companies are in the market as well, is a true demonstration of the company's success. With a current pool of 600 MW in New York, ECS projects that it will have over 800 MW under contract by the end of Summer, 2008.

In 2006, ECS became involved in the State of California through the Demand Reserves Partnership, playing a significant role in the discussions that led to the recent demand response activities of the state's three utilities. ECS has a five year contract with two of the three IOU's in California to provide demand response resources (Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison) and is further promoting its Cut Back California program in the San Diego Gas & Electric territory. ECS projects it will have more than 300 MW in California under participation agreements by the Summer of 2009.

On the national, state and local levels, significant attention is being paid to the concept of demand response. It is being incorporated into long-term reliability plans, capacity markets and perhaps soon in renewable portfolio standards. A solid demand response program is one of the first elements necessary for a successful energy policy.

ECS is considered the leader in its field and respected by others in the industry. This experience and reputation has led ECS to develop the five phase approach to a successful demand response program and allowed them to begin offering full-scale demand response design, marketing and administration services directly to utilities, markets, municipalities, co-operatives, and others looking to build a reliable demand response program or simply make their existing programs better.

Statistics

• #1 out of 38 demand response providers in New York
• Within 60 days ECS had 60% of all aggregator load in PG&E's program even though 5 other aggregators
• Over 80 employees and contractors
• Advisory team includes William Flynn (former NY PSC Chairman) and Paul Afonso (former Chairman of Mass. Board of Public Utilities)
• Market presence: New York, New England, KCP&L, PG&E, SDG&E, SCE, PJM
• Currently > 600 MW curtailment in New York

Glen E. Smith President and CEO, Energy Curtailment Specialists