structurenewsline - bane marketingthe formation of a new “ami/mdm – smartgrid” consulting...

� Spring2008NewslineNewslineStructure

NewslineNewslineStructure

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Commerce Energy and Structure Synchronize Billing Data with ERCOT


The Structure Group announced the formation of a new “AMI/MDM – SmartGrid” consulting practice. The announcement was made at the 2008 Distributech Conference and Exhibition at the Tampa Convention Center. Structure’s AMI/MDM – SmartGrid practice is a team of highly-experienced professionals who provide

Commerce Energy Group and Structure have successfully completed a Texas Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market synchronization project at Commerce Energy that has reduced discrepancies and variances between ERCOT’s SCR 727 ESIID Service History & Usage Extract data and internal customer billing data to less than one percent. The project was

Structure Announces New AMI/MDM – SmartGrid Consulting Practice at Distributech

consulting, design, implementation and integration services for a full spectrum of SmartGrid systems, components, and applications. Practice team members have hands-on experience in developing strategies and roadmaps, developing business cases, architecting solutions, developing requirements, supporting the procurement process, implementing solutions, and managing projects.

“The Energy Policy Act, growing government pressure, and an ever-increasing sense of urgency around energy conservation and environmental sustainability are driving the need for advanced metering and the systems that support the collection and analysis of data from smart meters,” said David Shepheard, Structure Principal and Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development. “Although the first large-scale SmartGrids are still several years away, they must

In This Issue1 Structure Announces New AMI/MDM

– SmartGrid Consulting Practice at Distributech

1 Commerce Energy and Structure Synchronize Billing Data with ERCOT

2 1998 to 2008 – Structure Celebrates “10 Years of Excellence”

2 Structure and Triple Point Team Up at ArcLight for Rapid ETRM Deployment

3 Structure Receives Accolades for Project Management of PeopleSoft® Upgrade

3 Software Solutions Center Marries Energy Expertise with Software Skills

4 Structure nMarket® OfferManager Optimizes Customers’ Asset Management Processes

4 ETRM Practice Helps Stream Energy Gear Up for Expansion

5 Munis and Coops Opt for nMarket® Public Power for Scheduling and ISO Transactions

5 More than 200 Attend Annual nMarket User Group Conference

6 Clarke Highlights ETRM Risks and Mitigation at Annual ACI ERM Conference

7 Rafael Ochoa Joins Structure to Help Lead Asset Operations and Optimization Practice

7 William Batchelder to lead Structure’s Client Support Services Group

Eric Smith (right) will lead Structure’s AMI/MDM – SmartGrid consulting practice

and will be supported by Structure Director, Gary Murphy (left)

Volume 2 • Number 1 • Spring 2008

2 Spring2008NewslineNewslineStructure

This year marks a decade for The Structure Group. And what a remarkable decade it’s been. In 10 years, we’ve grown from a handful of ambitious energy practitioners to nearly 300 of the most skilled professionals in the industry. Our “little company,” still small by some definitions, has been an integral part of restructuring energy markets, assisting more than 60 market participants through nearly a dozen market implementations or redesigns spanning every North American ISO/RTO. With operations across North America and throughout continental Europe, we have experienced tremendous growth by continuing to diversify and enhance our portfolio of services and software products, recruiting some of the best talent in the industry and maintaining our explicit focus on the energy industry.

One of the primary growth drivers of our business has been new consulting services. Our consulting group has grown specialty practices areas. Practice areas house consulting professionals with extraordinary depth of skill and years of experience in very specific domain areas. Structure offers comprehensive consulting services in five consulting practice areas, including:Energy Market Solutions, Energy Trad-

1998 to 2008 – Structure Celebrates “10 Years of Excellence”

ing and Risk Management, Generation Operations and Optimization, Energy/Utility Enterprise Asset Manage-ment, and AMI/MDM – SmartGrid.

In addition, we’re a software company with a number of different products, the most recognized being the market-leading product Structure nMarket®. Since its debut in 1999, it has truly become the leading product in the space of providing ISO interfacing and settlements reconciliation. Based on our success with nMarket, we have grown our software to include; nMarket Gas, nMarket Public Power, and most recently OfferManager.

Finally, we have combined our energy knowledge and our software develop-ment expertise to create Structure’s Software Solution Center. The Software Solution Center has the capability to develop application software and tools for our clients as well as provide long term support. What has made Structure unique is that we’ve evolved to provide all three, within one organization, focused only on the energy industry.

Our People Drive the Value We Offer Our Clients

Our energy and technology experi-ence comes from our people. We have been fortunate to hire some of the best people in the industry. Our people have truly been our greatest asset, hands down, over the past 10 years. With our focus on the energy industry and our practice areas, Structure has become a company that is attractive for energy professionals to both leverage and grow their expertise. The depth and

By Michael Peterson, Managing Principal

breath of our expertise is used for the sole purpose of solving problems and adding value to our clients.

Remaining Focused for 10 Years

Although we’ve continued to enhance our expertise and services over the past 10 years, one thing has remained the same – our industry focus. Since our inception in 1998, we have focused explicitly on the energy industry, and today, 10 years later that is still our sole focus.

Our focus on a single industry has allowed Structure to develop and maintain long-term client relationships. These relationships have been built on a foundation of delivered value and results measured by our clients’ success.

As we move forward in the next 10 years, Structure will continue to grow our solutions, recruit and retain the best people and focus on our client’s success.

The Structure Group® and Triple Point Technology® recently completed the successful, rapid deployment of Triple Point Commodity XL™ Energy Trading and Risk Management Systems at ArcLight Energy Marketing, LLC (AEM), a manager of both physical and financial assets in wholesale power and gas markets. Structure was hired by AEM to define business requirements and manage the process of vendor evaluation, selection, and software implement-ation services – on an expedited basis.

“AEM selected Triple Point’s Com-modity XL based on the software’s front-office capabilities, application usability, and ability to support AEM’s long-term growth potential,” said Baris Ertan, Structure’s ETRM practice leader and Structure project manager at ArcLight.

“This is quite an accomplishment in a very short period of time,” added Bob Adrian, AEM’s Chief Executive officer. “I extend my sincere compliments and congratulations to a great project team. I would also like to give special thanks to The Structure Group for its exceptional

Structure and Triple Point Team Up at ArcLight for Rapid ETRM Deployment


StructureTM

1998 - 2008

1 0 Ye a r s o fE x c e l l e n c e


Ongoing support of custom software solutions is one of the greatest challenges faced by energy companies. These organizations often lack the man-power, in-depth knowledge of the software, and in many cases, the right technology skills.

“Structure removes these obstacles with an option for long term application support from our Software Solution Center,” explains Scott Haddix, Director of Structure’s Software Solutions Center (SSC).

“Also, because Structure provides solutions to common issues that affect our many energy-market customers, we can often distribute costs across clients, keeping individual clients from having to bear one hundred percent of the support costs.

and tactical organizational planning. Haddix’s lengthy history in energy

consulting and deliverables enhances the SSC’s ability to provide large-scale, custom solutions. Structure’s world-class Software Solution Center is based in Houston, Texas, the heart of the U.S. Energy Business. The SSC provides ancillary solutions, custom software development, implementation, integration and support services. Structure’s SSC professionals offer an outstanding combination of proven software development and implementation expertise with the finest business and market knowledge in the energy industry.

The SSC is 100 percent dedicated to energy solutions. With more than 70 customers and 170 software implementations, Structure’s reputation for delivering and supporting quality solutions on time and on-budget is unparalleled in the industry. Structure’s reputation has been built both upon the value of its initial delivery and the years of value realized through its ongoing support. “For Structure, the energy industry is not simply one of many vertical markets, it is our only business,” says Haddix. “From start to finish, our software projects include the involvement of our deep-domain expertise in our energy consulting practices.”

Software Solutions Center Marries Energy Expertise with Software Skills

The Structure Group recently announced the successful upgrade of the new PeopleSoft 9.0 HRMS system at Energy Northwest. Structure was hired by Energy Northwest to provide project management, testing management and technical architecture consulting. Energy Northwest is reportedly one of the first utilities in North America to successfully upgrade to the newest version of the PeopleSoft HRMS/Payroll platform.

The two-phase upgrade (8.3 to 8.9 and then 8.9 to 9.0) took six months and included migration from MS SQL Server to Oracle 10g, as well as new technical infrastructure.

Under the leadership of The Structure Group’s project management team, the PeopleSoft upgrade was implemented on time, under budget and with zero defects. “According to the Project Management Institute, that’s about as good as it gets from a project management perspective,” said Keith Cooke, CIO at Energy Northwest.

“When we started this project in April, there was considerable skepticism, both internal and external, that the complex scope of this project could be delivered in six months and within budget,” said Structure Principal, Lou Perrelli.

“Through the amazing efforts of a dedi-cated team from both Energy Northwest and external consultants, we managed to achieve what many said was impossible.”

For more information contact Lou Perrelli, Asset Management Practice Leader, at lou.perrelli@ thestructuregroup.com.

Structure Receives Accolades for Project Management of PeopleSoft® Upgrade

Scott Haddix, Director, Software Solutions Center, The Structure Group

Structure’s new corporate headquarters and “Software Solution Center” will

be located in at Houston’s CityCentre complex at West Sam Houston Parkway North. Structure will move into the new

headquarters this Summer

This is especially true for solutions that integrate with the Structure nMarket® products.”

Haddix joined The Structure Group in January after nearly 10 years at SunGard Consulting, where he was a partner and founding member of the technology company. Haddix has a 16-year track record in delivery of technology-based business solutions and is proficient in client account management, business development, software product development and support, and strategic


expertise, guidance, and support in the selection and implementation of our new Triple Point system. The Triple Point system will add substantial value to our trading operations.”

Structure and Triple Point Team Up at ArcLight

(Continued from Page 2)


StructurenMarket®

OfferManager Asset vs. Obligation

Similar Day LMP

Forecast

Offer Analysis (Gen-in-the-money)

Emissions Tracking

Event Notification

Dispatch Tracking

Profit and Loss

Fuel Postition

Unit Data

Heat Rates

Emission Credits

Methods

Offer Approach

Combined Cycle Configuration

Verifiable Cost

Offer Caps

Fuel Prices

Market Prices

Weather

Outages

Daily Parameters

Generation Offers

Obligations

Load Forecast

Structure has announced the selec-tion and deployment of a new Allegro™ Energy Trading and Risk management System at Stream Energy. Structure’s Energy Trading & Risk Management consulting practice provided complete lifecycle management of the process, including: all requirements gathering, system selection recommendations, contract negotiations, business process mapping, and implementation services.

Stream Energy, an energy retailer in Texas licensed by the Public Utilities Commission in early 2005, has quickly grown to become one of the largest participants in the Texas deregulated retail electricity market, with roughly 300,000 residential customers and approximately two percent of the load in the ERCOT service region.The new Allegro system will serve as a foundation for Stream Energy’s risk management infrastructure to support expansion within ERCOT as well as in other retail markets.

“The comprehensive energy market expertise and solid system implementa-tion skills of Structure’s ETRM team provided tremendous value to the quality of our ETRM selection and deployment process,” said Lisa Holiday, Managing Director, at Stream Energy.

“We are confident that the new system will help us to manage and report on our wholesale and retail positions and provide Stream Energy with a clearer picture of profitability as we expand into additional market regions.”

“Stream Energy’s aggressive growth strategy and entrepreneurial environ-ment are energizing,” said Stacey Wood, Principal at The Structure Group. “Stream Energy’s management and staff are dedicated to creating systems and processes that can be leveraged for future market expansion. They are a pleasure to work with, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with Stream Energy in the future.”

For more information about Struc-ture’s ETRM practice, contact Angela Ryan at angela.ryan thestructuregroup.com.

ETRM Practice Helps Stream Energy Gear Up for Expansion

Structure nMarket® OfferManager Optimizes Customers’ Asset Management Processes

Structure has announced the introduction of Structure nMarket® OfferManager, a new application that de-livers generation portfolio management for participants in ISO/RTO markets. OfferManager is an extension of the Structure nMarket® software suite, the leading ISO interfacing and settlement system in North America.

OfferManager creates offers according to pre-defined strategies, validates offers against ISO/RTO and user-defined rules and manages ISO/RTO connectivity seamlessly. OfferManager allows market participants to react to changing market conditions and quickly update strategies in real-time.

“In today’s ISO/RTO markets, the market operator makes unit commit-ment and economic dispatch decisions,” explains Bob Furry, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at The Structure Group. “The days of offering generation without considering and reacting to market conditions are no longer practical. Market participants must understand the ISO/RTO dispatch methodology and communicate offer strategies that will provide them with the optimal outcome.”

OfferManager combines unit oper-ating characteristics with fuel, operating and maintenance costs to automatically create generation offers for submission to the ISO/RTO. Utilizing ISO/RTO defined as well as custom algorithms to determine generation unit costs, asset managers can choose which offers they wish to submit to the ISO/RTO. OfferManager reduces costly errors such as missed submission deadlines, units offered below cost, or offers that cannot be achieved due to unit limitations. “OfferManager presents information to traders that allows them to react to market conditions in ways not possible before,” said Furry. “It also provides traders with timely, accurate feedback on the profitability of their actions.”

OfferManager can be integrated with fuel price databases and deal capture systems utilizing standard, XML-based interfaces. OfferManager is delivered

with out-of-the-box capabilities to meet the specific needs of each ISO/RTO and comes with Structure’s industry-leading customer support and implementation capabilities.

Key Features That Make OfferManager a Mission Critical Application:

• Robust platform for executing energy & ancillary services offer strategies

• Pre-configured offer creation methods – create “true” cost, verifiable cost, price-based and cap-based offers

• User configurable interfaces allow each user to customize windows and save their configurations

• Market specific functions – offer validation and IMM reference

• Custom plug-ins provide the ability implement custom methods for offer creation or business specific validation

• Quick-edit capabilities – rapidly change offers at portfolio or unit level and get them to the market

• Graphical offer adjustments reduces grid entry

• Integrated decision support – see conditions change and take action

• Maintain Outages – support submission to the ISO

• LMP forecasting using similar day LMP forecast algorithmFor more information, contact Bob

Furry, Product Manager at [email protected].


initiated in September 2007 and returned these results in less than four months.

Commerce Energy, based in Costa Mesa, California, is a leading retail power and gas marketer with a national presence. Over the past two years, Commerce Energy has experienced tremendous growth in its Texas ERCOT customer base. Acquiring new customers at a rapid pace, the company wanted to closely track and manage customer ownership discrepancies between its internal customer billing records and ERCOT’s SCR 727 ESIID Service History & Usage Extract data. Utilizing Structure’s proprietary Load Analysis Tool (LAT™), which was customized specifically for Commerce Energy, Structure consultants helped Commerce Energy to create a system to extract, compare and reconcile data from both ERCOT and the Commerce Energy billing system. As a result of this combined effort, Commerce Energy has reduced the discrepancy to less than one percent of its total base of 70,000 ERCOT customers.

The project was initiated by Mark Podorsky, Vice President of Operations for Commerce Energy. “Energy mar- keters work on tight margins,” said Podorsky. “In order for us to sustain aggressive growth in Texas, we need an accurate assessment of customer rev-enue and cost to serve. This is only going to happen if ERCOT and Commerce Energy agree on the customers we serve. The new system provided by Structure has allowed us to complete reconciliation between two of the three entities of our Texas ERCOT market synchronization efforts and will greatly expand our reporting capabilities, enhance our billing system and have a positive impact on our bottom line.”

“The Structure Group’s deep energy industry expertise, considerable ERCOT experience, and solid software skills were a great complement to our in-house IT team,” said Kathleen Lindner, Chief Information Officer at Commerce. “We were able to achieve impressive results in only about four months.”


(Continued from Page 1)More than 200 users representing

40 companies attended Structure’s Sixth Annual nMarket User Group Conference late last fall at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee.

Among those in attendance were representatives from four Independent System Organizations: Kevin Vannoy, Director of Market Services at the Midwest ISO; Kenneth Ragsdale, Business Architect for Commercial Systems at ERCOT; Ron Coutu, Principal Solutions Architect at ISO New England; and Harry Dessender, Manager, PJM Market Settlement Services.

“The presence of ISO representatives enabled conference participants to tackle some key issues, most notably settlement challenges ISO market participant interaction,” said Principal, Amy Zupon, who leads Structure’s Software Business Unit. “The ISO reps led well-attended break-out sessions with roundtable discussions on both topics.”

The next nMarket user conference will be August 26-29 at the Gaylord Palms Resort near Orlando, Florida. This year the conference will be extended to three days, which will allow for more interaction and networking opportunities.

“This annual conference provides our market and product experts the opportunity to communicate upcoming market developments and product release plans, to solicit thoughts and feedback on our software direction and provides users an opportunity

More than 200 Attend Annual nMarket User Group Conference

Amy Zupon, Principal and Vice President, Software Development, The Structure Group

(Continued on Page 7)(Continued on Page 6)

South Texas Electric Cooperative (STEC) and Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) have both licensed Structure nMarket® Public Power to automate power scheduling and transaction management.

Structure nMarket Public Power is a special version of the power industry’s leading ISO transaction management system integrated with a first-rate physical scheduling system. STEC is using nMarket Public Power to manage all of its ERCOT power scheduling, counter-party transactions and shadow settlements on a single software platform. In addition, nMarket Public Power has been optimized and tested for the new ERCOT Nodal market structure, which will allow STEC to simultaneously schedule and settle in the current ERCOT Zonal market while participating in the EDS testing for ERCOT Nodal.

“We saw the upcoming Texas Nodal Market as an opportunity to investigate the selection of a software package which would closely meet the needs of STEC’s front office and back office personnel,” said Cliff Lange, Assistant Manager of STEC’s Wholesale Marketing/QSE.

“After evaluating multiple vendors, we felt that Structure nMarket Public Power would offer the best return on investment. We will first receive the current zonal version of nMarket Public Power, which will allow STEC personnel to learn and transition to new the Nodal version prior to the opening of the Texas Nodal market. This will also significantly mitigate the risk associated with simultaneously learning the intricacies of a new market and a new software package.”

“With Structure nMarket Public Power, STEC will have a seamless platform in which deals automatically create schedules, which in turn can be submitted automatically to the ISO,” said Amy Zupon, VP of Software Development for The Structure Group. “This Straight-Through Processing capability reduces dual entry for deals and schedules while simplifying reporting and

Munis and Coops Opt for nMarket® Public Power for Scheduling and ISO Transactions



enhancing security. Structure’s nMarket Public Power also adds functionality to manage price curves and credit.”

Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) has licensed Structure nMarket® Public Power for transaction management and scheduling within the Midwest Independent System Operator (Midwest ISO) wholesale power market. IPL selected Structure nMarket Public Power for its ability to support its current and future market needs – including fu-ture support for the new Midwest ISO Ancillary Services Market, and for the viability of Structure’s methodology and approach to replacing IPL’s legacy system.

IPL will use Structure nMarket Public Power to create and manage its daily offers and hourly updates of generation unit status to the Midwest ISO, to provide down-stream integration of Midwest ISO notifications and control area notifications with IPL’s EMS system, and to create and manage Midwest ISO settlement statements and shadow settlement reports. Structure nMarket Public Power includes Structure’s PositionManager™ application that IPL will utilize for deal capture and power scheduling.

“Replacing a legacy system is never easy, but the IPL and Structure teams developed a good integration plan and the nMarket Public Power deployment was relatively seamless,” said Joe Bentley, Vice President at Indianapolis Power & Light Company. “Hats off to the Structure team who provided training across three shifts to ensure that we thoroughly understood the system and were ready for go-live.”

For more information on Structure nMarket Public Power, contact Seth Trout at [email protected].

Munis and Coops Opt for nMarket® Public Power


Clarke Highlights ETRM Risks and Mitigation at Annual ACI ERM Conference




In the next phase, Commerce will integrate Transmission Distribution Service Provider (TDSP) data. This will provide Commerce with a complete

In addition, Structure maintains ongoing product expertise and partnerships with the industry’s leading software vendors in: Market Solutions, Energy Trading and Risk Management, Generation Operations and Optimization, AMI/MDM – SmartGrid, Enterprise Asset Management, and Revenue Cycle Management.

Clear Choice for Structure nMarket® Extensions and Integration

If your software project involves an extension to or integration with Struc-ture nMarket, there is no organization that can compete with Structure’s first-hand knowledge and experience. Structure’s Software Solution Center provides you with immediate, on-site access to nMarket product expertise and the ability to test and synchronize your solutions with new nMarket releases faster than any competitor. “In fact, for solutions where our support services are utilized, we guarantee it,” says Haddix.

For more information about the Structure Software Solutions Center, contact Scott Haddix at [email protected].

Software Solutions Center Marries Energy Expertise with Software Skills


ERCOT market assessment and synchronization. “Based on the success of these projects to date, Commerce and Structure are looking to extend this capability across all the markets and customers we serve,” said Podorsky.

The Structure Group has nine years of experience with more than 25 clients in ERCOT and similar qualifications across North America. “Commerce Energy’s vision for ERCOT data reconciliation and reporting was an excellent fit for our consultants’ energy industry expertise, software delivery skills and enhancement of an existing solution. Extending this to other regions that are less standard than ERCOT is the next logical step that we’re ready to tackle,” said Structure Principal, Michael Cutler. “We have enjoyed working on several successful projects with Commerce Energy, and we look forward to expanding and enhancing our relationship in the future.”

The stories of ETRM system implementation projects going off the rails are no secret, and the new Nodal ISO market structures and introduction of new trading instruments bring their own special challenges.

Structure Senior Manager, Ian Clarke, explored the causes of ETRM system delays, major cost overruns and how to avoid or mitigate their risks in a presentation to senior-level industry professionals at ACI’s 4th Annual International Symposium on Energy Risk Management in Houston in March.

Attracting professionals in the energy and utilities industry, energy commodities traders and regulatory officials, the conference highlighted strategies to stabilize operations, meet regulatory requirements, stay competitive and build shareholder value. Structure was a sponsor of the three-day symposium of sessions, workshops and networking events.

“Through our experience performing ETRM evaluations and implementations, we have learned many valuable and practical lessons regarding vendor contracting, design and configuration, implementation and testing,” Clarke said. “Most companies are drowning in information, yet often lack the tools or expertise to interpret and transform it into actionable knowledge.”

In his presentation, “Evolving Energy Markets: ETRM System Considerations,” Clarke discussed development of better internal and external reporting, implementing sophisticated analysis, system limitations in handling instruments such as financial transmission rights and renewable energy credits and personnel constraints.

“The past year has been a banner


The Structure Group has appointed long-time consulting unit manager William “Batch” Batchelder to lead Client Services, which operates Structure’s Software Support Group, manages the nMarket User Guide and nMarket software installations.

Batchelder, a manager in Structure’s consulting business unit since 1999, has spent nine years supporting Structure’s Trading & Risk Management, Sched-uling, Asset Optimization and Market Settlements efforts in North America and the United Kingdom. A large portion of that time was spent on nMarket implementation and integration projects.

“We are striving to be increasingly proactive in our client relationships, and we’re very excited to have Batch join the team,” said Principal, Amy Zupon, who leads Structure’s Software Business Unit. “His experience, professionalism and attitude uniquely equip him to be successful in this role.

“Under Batch’s direction, the nMarket Support team will be conducting an outreach program to customers, refining its communication practices and evaluating team incentives to better align them with customer needs. In addition, we are evaluating current business processes, adding additional staff, strengthening our commitment to training and working diligently to ensure that we can retain our most talented team members.”

William Batchelder to lead Structure’s Client Support Services Group

About Structure Client Services

Excellence, flexibility, integrity, results and value for its clients are the core values that have elevated Structure from a small consulting company to a globally recognized solutions leader sought by the most recognized names in the power and gas industry.

Structure understands its clients’ business and the role of our products in their businesses. The passion of our Software Support Group is helping clients achieve sustained success. That passion is best expressed in the group’s camaraderie and teamwork.

Structure’s Client Services team also recruits talented people and cultivates specific skills among team members to render effective, concise support. Structure’s knowledgeable staff provides up-to-date product plans, and our product experts are quick to respond to critical issues that affect customer business processes.

William Batchelder will lead the Client Services Team at The Structure Group

Structure nMarket Users Enjoy Casino Night

to network with those from other companies,” Zupon explained. “This year’s conference in August promises to be even better with an enhanced front-office track, training classes, panel discussions and more, all against the beautiful backdrop of the Gaylord Palms.”

For more information about the nMarket Users Group Meeting, contact Jennifer Haynie at [email protected].

Annual nMarket User Conference


year for ETRM system vendors not only because of market developments like Texas Nodal and California MRTU,” said Clarke. “Oil above $100/bbl and natural gas reaching $10/MMBtu mean that tracking counterparty exposure is even more critical, and a good system can help manage counterparty and cross-commodity risk.”

For more information about Structure’s ETRM consulting practice, contact Ian Clarke at [email protected].

Clarke Highlights ETRM Risks and Mitigation


The Structure Group has announced the appointment of Rafael Ochoa, as Director. Ochoa will help lead one of Structure’s fastest growing consulting practices, Asset Operation and Optimization.

Ochoa joins Structure after more than 20 years of experience with ABB Network Management, ABB TTI and Ferranti International. For the last 10 years, he has been at ABB Network Management, which provides network management solutions to power generation, transmission and distribution entities in the regulated and de-regulated utility sector.

During his tenure with ABB, Ochoa served in various leadership roles, including Manager of Engineering and Development, Director of Sales and Marketing, Managing Director of Distribution Information Systems, Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Vice President of Operational Excellence.

At Structure, Ochoa’s primary focus is Distribution Management System (DMS) and Outage Management opportunities in the Generation, Transmission and Distribution (GT&D) segment. He also supports Operations and Optimization opportunities (e.g., Energy Management System, Generation Management System, NERC compliance), and focuses on targeted opportunities in Latin America.

Rafael Ochoa Joins Structure to Help Lead Asset Operations and Optimization Practice

8 Spring2008NewslineNewslineStructure

NewslineNewslineStructureStructure Newsline is published three times a year by the marketing and communications department of The Structure Group. For more infor-mation on any of the articles published in this issue, email Angela Hudson, marketing communications manager at [email protected], or call 1-281-217-2001. The contents of Structure Newsline are property of The Structure Group, Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

The Structure Group is a leading provider of energy market business consulting services and solutions for market participants in North America and Europe.

begin with a comprehensive and carefully thought out road map.”

“Most consulting companies in the AMI/MDM space provide specialized but narrow industry expertise. In addition to comprehensive AMI/MDM – SmartGrid expertise, Structure offers in-depth knowledge in Energy Trading and Risk Management, Utility Asset Management, Grid Operations and Optimization, and ISO Market Solutions. This broad, energy industry expertise allows us to take a holistic view in creating a SmartGrid roadmap, and that’s going to offer bigger benefits for energy distributors, suppliers and consumers,” said Shepheard.

Two new executives have joined Structure to support the new practice. Eric Smith has been appointed Director of the AMI/MDM – SmartGrid practice

Structure Announces New AMI/MDM – SmartGrid Consulting Practice


group, and Gary W. Murphy has been appointed Director in Structure’s Consulting Business Unit with primary responsibility for business development and client support in Transmission & Distribution with a focus on AMI/MDM, SmartGrid and Asset Management.

Eric Smith has more than 20 years of utility and AMR/AMI product experience, and was a founding member of the Automatic Meter Reading Association. Eric has provided guidance to leading distribution utilities across North America on AMI, MDM and SmartGrid strategies and designs.

Prior to joining The Structure Group, Eric served as Senior Vice President and Enterprise Technology Practice Lead for Gestalt-LLC. He also served in senior management positions with Silver Spring Networks, a leading ANI network communications vendor and IMServ, a diversified provider of AMI implementation services and contract metering solutions. Eric’s career in metering began at American

Meter, where he was Director of Marketing for Automated Systems.

Gary Murphy also comes to Structure from Gestalt-LLC, where he supported the start-up of the company’s Energy and Utility practice and also served as Senior Vice President and Co-Lead of the AMI/MDM – Smart Grid Practice. Gary brings more than 20 years of experience in the energy and utility industry beginning at PECO Energy’s (now Exelon) nuclear program where he was intimately involved in reinventing PECO’s approach to managing its nuclear facilities.

He was then appointed to head up the reengineering of PECO’s gas and electric T&D business. Gary was later asked to co-lead the start up of Exelon’s unregulated T&D construction and service business, InfraSource, where he began his utility consulting career.

For more information on Structure’s AMI/MDM – SmartGrid Practice, contact Eric Smith at [email protected].

StructureTM

12335 Kingsride, #401Houston, TX 77024713.783.0500

[email protected]

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