EnerNex Corporation Chosen to Support Consumers Energy's Exploration of AMI Options.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- EnerNex Corporation has been awarded a contract from Consumers Energy to assist in evaluating options for possible deployment of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). The company is assisting Consumers Energy in the development of requirements and business cases, as well as, review and selection of AMI designs and technology solutions for meters, communication networks, meter data management systems and integration with the utility's information and operation technology systems.

This support is the first step in the process that could lead to specifying, deploying and implementing AMI to Consumers Energy's customers. AMI has attracted increased attention within the electric power industry driven partly by a provision in the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandating that state regulatory bodies examine the feasibility of establishing time-based electricity pricing programs and implementing the advanced metering necessary to support such pricing programs.

According to EnerNex co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Erich W. Gunther, the company will leverage experience and methodologies established during the development of the EPRI IntelliGrid Architecture, involvement in the UtilityAMI organization and an on-going project for Southern California Edison developing plans for AMI implementation.

Gunther went on to say, "We offer a strong combination of electric power systems engineering, architecture development, metering technology, communications technology, use case and business case development. We strive to provide our clients with best industry systems engineering practices, as well as, the ability to complete groundbreaking projects in AMI development, implementation and applications."

Gunther is serving as primary consultant for the project, assisted by Grant Gilchrist, Ben Rankin and other EnerNex employees and consultants.

EnerNex Corporation provides engineering and consulting services, along with software solutions and customization, for the electric power industry. EnerNex offers these in the areas of power system studies and analysis as well as utility communication and automation. For more information on EnerNex, visit www.enernex.com.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For more information on Consumers Energy, visit http://www.consumersenergy.com.