ADVISORY/Energy Show Held During Energy Crisis.

Business Editors & Energy Writers

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (May 9)

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2001

We invite you to attend the upcoming West Coast Energy Management Congress, May 9-10, 2001, in San Diego, California.

As you are aware, companies are re-evaluating their energy efficiency & facility management game plans to reduce costs and improve system reliability. Please forward this to anyone within your organization or key clients you feel would benefit by attending. Thank You.

As California and the Western Region battles a growing energy crisis including higher prices and rolling blackouts, the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) along with a cross-section of sponsors will hold one of the year's largest energy & facility management conferences and expositions.

Here, energy experts, policy makers, energy customers, exhibitors, and utility executives will meet to discuss the industry, the impact on the economy, and ways businesses can reduce their energy costs, improve their operations and upgrade equipment.

According to Brian Douglas, Director of E-commerce & Events for AEE, "The West Coast Energy Management Congress could not be held at a better time. With California dealing with skyrocketing energy costs, rolling blackouts, and serious economic impacts, this event will demonstrate advanced technologies and services available today to help commercial, institutional and industrial customers dramatically reduce their energy expenses and see an accelerated return on their investment. Furthermore, the exhibitors in the event will be on hand to discuss application needs, strategies, and practical cost-effective methods for reducing costs and improving a customer's profitability."

In recent weeks, California officials have indicated that energy costs for all users will rise significantly as a measure to curtail usage and prevent more rolling blackouts during the summer's peak energy usage (see CNN's Special Online Energy Crisis Report for extensive details). Al Thumann, Executive Director of AEE, states, "The Bush administration's final energy plan will be based on tapping the Alaska oil reserves. We believe the plan should also include massive incentives for businesses to install energy efficient technologies, which not only have excellent payback rates, but are great for the environment. There needs to be a balance, and energy efficiency technologies offer an advantage today--job growth, increased corporate profits, lower emissions, and enhanced National Energy security." In a recent interview with CNN, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham proclaimed that the Bush National Energy policy "will focus on conservation as well as production."

Conference Program At-A-Glance

The annual conference serves as a venue to discuss the current state of energy deregulation and its impact on business, to exchange ideas, showcase new technologies, discover application needs, and to connect buyers and sellers. The show is a must-attend event for CEOs of Business & VPs of Operations who want to reduce their energy costs and improve their profit margins; energy managers & facility managers who are in charge of upgrading facilities and equipment; industrial & high-tech firms who use a great deal of energy and want to improve system reliability; energy consultants who advise their clients which energy management game plans they should implement, as well as any customers interested in reducing their costs and improving their company's bottom line.

The two-day conference features a cross-section of industry speakers who will tackle various topics such as State of the Industry, energy purchasing strategies under deregulation, efficiency improvement strategies, power quality, distributed generation, and energy management strategies.

Complete show information including the conference program in a PDF file can be found:

http://www.aeecenter.org/shows (click on West Coast Energy Management Congress) OR http://www.aeecenter.org/emc

FREE EXPO ADMISSION:

The EXPOSITION is open Wednesday, May 9, 2001, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Thursday, May 10, 2001, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Exhibitors will feature the latest products and services to help customers lower their costs, retrofit equipment, and upgrade their facilities. A free expo pass may be obtained at http://www.aeevshow.com/pass.htm

Contact AEE at 770-447-5083, email [e-mail], or visit www.aeecenter.org

Press should contact Joyce Wells, AEE, 770-447-5083, ext. 211 (email [e-mail]) for complimentary media admission.