Soliance Networks, the San Diego-based joint venture thatprovides total information solutions for the energy industry, hascompleted its first information technology project for an energyservice provider, getting the system running in just eight weeks.Soliance created an Internet-based “virtual utility” system forEnergy America’s customers that included enrollment, customerbilling operations, bill creation, and support. The “virtualutility” took six weeks to certify and validate, and two more weeksto become fully operational for Energy America. The system willsupport over 1 million customers by mid-2001. Energy America sellscompetitively priced natural gas and electricity to residential andsmall business customers in New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio,Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Soliance was formed in September of 1999 to tap into the newlyderegulated energy market. The information systems market alone isestimated at $2 billion (see Daily GPI, Sept. 14, 1999). “Energyservice providers need billing and customer-service computersystems that function well in a competitive marketplace,” said DaleKelly-Cochrane, President of Soliance. The system accepts gas orelectric meter data, and has seven custom electronic interfaces.

“We selected Soliance because of its team’s unique blend ofutility industry and IT experience,” said David Zeitz, President ofEnergy America. “We knew we could rely on them to understand thefacets of deregulation in the utility industry and get ouroperation up and running quickly. The system they installed hashelped us acquire and maintain service for more than 400,000customers in a year.” Besides managing the billing cycle, customerenrollment, and customer service, Soliance also supports EnergyAmerica’s interfaces to commodity procurement, finance andaccounting systems, and end-to-end network management.

Soliance Netwok is a joint venture that includes Sempra EnergyInformation Solutions.

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