Altra Energy Technologies Inc., Amerex Power Ltd. and PrebonEnergy Inc. announced the successful launch of Altrade Power, areal-time, online electronic power trading system, provided byAltra Streamline LLC. The launch represents the firstbusiness-to-business e-commerce site to unite new online tradingexchange technology with the strength and reach of the traditionalvoice broker market. Altrade Power went live on Oct. 14. More than210 installed users, out of 450 traders who have already requestedthe system, logged on to complete more than $24 million inwholesale power trades. “With the help of our alliance, traderswill ultimately have instant access to over 700 counterparties atmore than 150 of the industry’s leading trading firms,” saidAltra’s Mark Crosno. “Following the price spikes of 1998 and 1999,the wholesale power market is demanding enhanced tools for moreefficient deal execution. Traders told us they need a single focalpoint for getting their deals done, yet they do not want to give upthe services provided by their voice brokers. Through our alliance,we have answered the market’s demands,” said Amerex’s CareyTurnbull.

Entergy Corp. said it plans to buy eight gas turbines from GEPower Systems (GEPS) for delivery as early as 2001, bringing to 32the number of GE gas turbines the company will have for new powerdevelopment projects over the next few years. Last week the twocompanies announced a major $1.9 billion agreement encompassing 24GE7FA advanced technology gas turbines, four steam turbines,long-term service agreements covering all scheduled maintenance for16 years following start-up of each turbine and the turnkeyinstallation of one project. The eight additional turbines, at acost of $160 million, are GE7EA’s. The turbines are designed to beused as peaking units, able to be brought into service as the needarises. Several of the additional turbines are slated for use inEntergy’s four-state electric service territory and six of theeight will be available during summer 2001. Entergy Power Group(EPG), the company’s power development arm, is committed todeveloping about 1500 MW of power generation projects per year forthe next several years. It is expected that more than half of the32 turbines will be used by EPG in or around Entergy’s four-stateelectric service territory.

Reliant Energy’s Reliant Energy Retail Group and AdvanticaRestaurant Group announced an agreement yesterday in which Reliantwill provide consolidated billing and resource accounting servicesfor 568 Advantica restaurants located in California. Financialterms were unavailable by press time. Under the contract, theReliant Energy Retail Group will provide value- added accountingand consolidated billing for the restaurants’ various utilityservices, including electricity and natural gas, as well as provideaccess to energy information and energy consumption data, and foroptimum energy resource planning and management. AdvanticaRestaurant Group owns and operates nationwide locations of Denny’s,El Pollo Loco, Coco’s, and Carrows restaurant brands. Overall,Advantica owns 2,600 restaurants.

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