For Immediate Release:

April 20, 2002

Contact: Ed Finamore 412-299-5684, info@valutechsolutions.com

ValuTech Solutions Provides Support for Demand Side Response Programs

Moon Township, PA—Valutech Solutions Inc., a privately held firm providing management consulting services to utilities, municipalities and private industry with a focus on utility automation and electric energy deregulation, has announced it has begun placing increased emphasis on demand side response issues within the energy services arena. The company will work with a range of energy industry participants who are increasingly realizing the benefits of demand response and seeking solutions to meet their needs.

Valutech Solutions offers services to utilities, energy marketers, system integrators and equipment manufacturers in the evaluation of new technologies, marketing of new products and services, development of market strategies and selection of appropriate system solutions. The company assists its clients in finding appropriate supporting technologies, and in locating and securing partnerships and business relationships designed to reduce development time and speed products and services to market.

"We believe in the basic premise that demand side response programs have become an essential component of the energy supply/demand equation, and that utilities and energy marketers must consider these programs as an effective mitigation strategy when addressing issues involving spot energy pricing during peak energy utilization periods," states Ed Finamore, President of Valutech Solutions. "And a consensus is developing that these types of programs are most effective when supported with the enabling technologies of equipment load control and time sensitive metering."

"Valutech Solutions has really captured the essence of the challenge for most utilities and energy suppliers," claims Gerry Mimno, Director of Strategic Alliances for AES-IntelliNet, located in Peabody, Massachusetts. "The convergence of load limiting and automated meter reading systems can form the basis for effective implementation of energy industry demand side response programs and have an important impact on moderating peak power demand in the future. Valutech Solutions was among the first to understand this linkage, and has helped us to develop our automated meter reading strategies in a manner which should lead to rapid acceptance of our communications technology for demand response applications."

About Valutech Solutions

Valutech Solutions provides management consulting services to utilities, energy marketers, system integrators and equipment manufactures in the energy industry. Specializing in utility automation, deregulation and energy management applications, Valutech Solutions helps companies to locate, acquire or develop solutions and formulate business strategies and plans for success in the rapidly deregulating energy markets. For more information, call Valutech Solutions at 412 299-5684, or e-mail at: info@valutechsolutions.com.

About AES-IntelliNet

Headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts, AES-IntelliNet was established in 1974, and manufactures protective and networking systems for a broad range of applications including automated meter reading. AES-IntelliNet equipment is used in over 60,000 buildings around the world, and is especially suited for networking commercial/industrial and residential accounts. For more information, call 800 237-6387, or visit their web sites: www.aes-intellinet.com, and www.internet-metering.net.

Ed Finamore is founder and president of ValuTech Solutions, a management consulting firm specializing in utility automation systems and applications, including demand response and AMR. He can be reached at (412) 299-5684.