True Quote announced an alliance with Cap Gemini Ernst &Young to provide customers with information technology consulting,as well as system and business integration services. In addition,the companies intend to license truequote.com’s advanced tradingplatform to the global marketplace, including turnkey solutions forother exchanges desiring real-time bid-ask systems. These serviceswill be provided to clients under the “TQ Trade Solutions” brandname. “This alliance will expedite the deployment of integratedsolutions beyond the box, allowing us to provide powerful and cost-effective products to our customers,” said True Quote President andCEO Dennis Crum. True Quote develops and operates independentelectronic energy trading platforms and portals. These systemsprovide virtual trading communities for market participants tocommunicate and transact in an efficient, real-time environment.The truequote.com application architecture is devoted to anopen-access, broker-assisted model that allows equal access to allqualified market participants. Currently, PG&E National EnergyGroup, APB Energy, Inc., Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, EnFORMTechnology LLC and Microsoft Corp. are the principal companiesworking together to develop and promote truequote.com. Thetechnology has been developed using the latest distributedapplication design and development principles, as outlined inMicrosoft’s Distributed Internet Application Architecture (WindowsDNA). For more information visit the company’s website atwww.truequote.com or call Lee Ann Zoeller at (800) 327-1499.

Allegheny Power and PJM Interconnection signed an agreementyesterday to develop a new electric transmission system affiliationthat is designed to expand the Mid-Atlantic energy market. It willlead to a new area in the PJM market known as PJM West. The termsof the agreement will be filed Oct. 16 with FERC. Through theaffiliation, PJM will expand its regional scope and demonstrate theability of its energy market and congestion management systems tofunction over multiple control areas. Allegheny Power will satisfythe FERC’s independence requirement for its transmission systemoperations while continuing to pursue the development of a large,regional, independent transmission entity. The arrangement will forthe first time expand the PJM system management concepts beyond asingle control area with the potential to result in a significantlylarger energy market. The timeline set out in the agreementincludes negotiation for a definitive contract to be completed byFebruary and implementation by Dec. 15, 2001. Under the PJM Westconcept, an office would be created and staffed and the PJM WestTransmission Owners would transfer monitoring and functionalcontrol of their transmission systems to PJM. Allegheny Powerdelivers energy to three million people in Maryland, Ohio,Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. PJM is an independentsystem operator, administering almost eight percent of thecountry’s electric power, with a pooled generating capacity of morethan 58,000 MW and a membership of more than 190.

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