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CONTACT INFORMATION
Peace Software
www.peace.com
Xcel Energy
www.xcelenergy.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IBM and Peace Software Sign Multi-Million
Dollar Contract to Support Xcel Energy
Multi-year contract provides
advanced customer management solution for 3.5 million regulated and
deregulated customers
MIAMI, FL., May 8, 2001 – Peace Software today announced
that Peace and IBM have signed a multi-million dollar, five-year
contract to implement Peace's innovative Energy suite to support
Xcel Energy's 3.5 million regulated and deregulated electricity
and gas customers in 11 Western and Midwestern markets. IBM's utility
and energy services consulting practice is part of IBM Global Services,
the world's largest information technology services provider.
The project will replace both a mainframe and client/server legacy
system. The first major milestone will be deployment of the web-based
Energy suite by June 1 for Xcel Energy's participation in the Texas
deregulation pilot.
Dr. Raymond E. Gogel, senior project executive, IBM Utility and
Energy Services, said, "IBM works with advanced application
providers such as Peace Software to create significant business
value for our clients. This relationship, with IBM's project management
and proven implementation methodology, and Peace's software and
technical team will deliver a large scale, strategic solution for
Xcel Energy that best positions it for the future."
Wayne Brunetti, Xcel Energy president and chief executive officer,
said, "We are leveraging the strength of IBM with the innovation
of Peace Software to deliver outstanding customer service in both
regulated and deregulated markets. The power of this new web-based
technology will expand our strength as an energy provider and help
us achieve our merger synergy savings."
The implementation plan includes all customer management, commodity
billing, and Internet components of the Energy suite to be deployed
for Xcel Energy in its regulated and deregulated markets. IBM's
implementation team has been trained and certified on the Energy
suite, and both IBM and Peace Software professional services consultants
are on site at Xcel Energy.
Brian Peace, Peace Software chairman and chief executive officer,
said, "We are already working shoulder-to-shoulder with IBM
and Xcel Energy to create business advantages with the most advanced
aspects of the Energy suite. The flexibility and scalability of
the Energy suite means Xcel Energy can rapidly move into multiple
markets with a variety products and services."
About Peace Software
Peace Software, Inc. delivers the most comprehensive and cost-effective
customer management solutions for utility and retail energy companies.
The industry-leading Energy™ suite is being rapidly deployed in
20 transitioning energy markets around the world. Based on industry
standards, the innovative and customer-proven Energy suite integrates
customer and commodity management for commercial and industrial
(C&I) and mass markets. Headquartered in Miami and founded in
1984, Peace is a global company with offices in the United States,
Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Visit us at www.peace.com
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy Inc., a prominent U.S. electric and natural gas utility
with operations in 12 Western and Midwestern states, was formed
in August 2000 by the merger of Minneapolis-based Northern States
Power Co. and Denver-based New Century Energies. Xcel Energy provides
a complete portfolio of energy-related products and services to
over 3 million electricity customers and 1.5 million natural gas
customers. For more information visit www.xcelenergy.com
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