Comverge, Inc. has entered into a five-year agreement with Pepco Holdings, Inc. to provide full turnkey services, including a demand response hardware and software system, as well as installation and marketing services compatible with PHI's future Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI). It is anticipated that, when fully deployed, the demand response system will be capable of providing PHI with over 200 MW of peak load reduction in PHI's suburban Maryland service areas. The agreement is subject to oversight by the Maryland Public Service Commission.

The program will be the largest deployment using Comverge's new AMI-ready, Dual Mode Digital Control Unit, which incorporates both a VHF channel and a ZigBee communications channel. This technology includes Comverge's new AMI-ready, VHF to ZigBee bridge, which can receive VHF messages and relay them via ZigBee to a ZigBee SuperStat. The program will also deploy Comverge's PowerPortal In-Home Display device, which will allow PHI customers to monitor their energy consumption in near real time. The entire system will be managed by the Comverge Apollo Demand Response Management System (DRMS).

"This next generation technology allows us to achieve our direct load control program requirements today while still providing compatibility with future system enhancements," said Bill Gausman, senior vice president Asset Management. "PHI can now transition into our planned advanced metering infrastructure that will use digital meters and electronic switching to improve reliability with a load control technology ultimately compatible with smart grid deployment."