EUCG Launches Information Technology Benchmarking & Best Practices Group to Serve Electric Utilities

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- EUCG today announced the
 formation of an organizational sub-group dedicated to serving information
 technology (IT) professionals in the energy industry.  EUCG is a global
 association of energy and electric utility professionals who discuss current
 and emerging industry issues, share best practices and exchange data for
 benchmarking purposes.
     "Our new Information Technology Committee fulfills a long-awaited request
 from several of our members to carve out the role of IT and explore its
 benchmarking implications," said Stephen J. Saunders, EUCG president, of the
 Tennessee Valley Authority. "The committee's objective is simple: to enable
 more-informed information technology business decisions that are based on
 relevant and timely information. We will accomplish this by providing
 structured benchmarking comparisons, sharing best practices, and a forum to
 access other industry participants."
     EUCG began investigating the viability of developing this group two years
 ago. A group of interested parties met at the organization's Fall 2005
 conference in Boston to finalize plans. "The response has been overwhelming,
 to say the least," said Blake Rothfuss, IT portfolio manager for Pacific Gas
 and Electric, who is one of several utility professionals who have
 participated in planning and development of the committee. "An IT benchmarking
 group conceived by industry professionals and run by these same folks expands
 on a niche that has been underserved in the energy industry for decades."
     The demand for quality IT benchmarking information continues to increase,
 said George Sharp, EUCG national marketing director, of American Electric
 Power (NYSE:   AEP). "Utilities are demanding higher technology service levels,
 unprecedented business-technology integration and lower operating costs. Few
 forums provide ongoing opportunities for utility IT organizations to discuss
 emerging technologies, best practices, service delivery models, benchmarking
 and analysis, and business-technology integration.  EUCG will provide such a
 forum."
     The IT and other EUCG committees will hold their next meeting during the
 EUCG's Spring 2006 conference, which will be held March 26-29 in Anaheim,
 Calif. Participants will help determine the short- and long-term direction of
 the IT committee, said Rothfuss. "We intend to manage the IT Committee as an
 ongoing grass-roots effort. The EUCG IT Committee will reflect the wants,
 needs and issues of its utility members."
     Information about the conference can be found on EUCG's website:
 (http://www.eucg.org).
     Individuals or companies interested in joining the EUCG Information
 Technology Committee should contact Pat Kovalesky, EUCG executive director, at
 1-623-572-4140.  Email:  eucgexec@cox.net.
 
     About EUCG: EUCG is a global association of energy and electric utility
 professionals who discuss current and emerging industry issues, share best
 practices and exchange data for benchmarking purposes. The association is
 organized into five separate committees that represent specific utility
 functions: Transmission & Distribution, Fossil Plants, Hydro Plants, Nuclear
 Plants, and Information Technology departments. Members attend semi-annual
 conferences that focus on strategic planning, maintenance practices,
 operations management, outage management and various other aspects of the
 electric utility business. Membership is open to all utility companies and
 professionals worldwide.  Interested parties should contact Pat Kovalesky,
 EUCG executive director, at 1-623-572-4140.  Email:  eucgexec@cox.net.
 Website:  http://www.eucg.org .
 
 

SOURCE  EUCG