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PETCO Uses Site Controls Technology to Automatically and Voluntarily Curtail Energy Usage on Texas Power Grid

Posted on: Wednesday, 19 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

Site Controls today announced that PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. (NASDAQ:PETC) is automatically and voluntarily curtailing energy usage to help reduce load on the Texas power grid during record-setting demand in April. PETCO is using Site Controls' integrated technology platform to manage daily energy consumption and decrease utility expenses, as well as shed non-essential loads with little or no consequence, helping mitigate rolling blackouts during peak periods.

"At PETCO we are glad to do our part to help reduce energy usage during these extreme conditions," said Tim Speller, National Energy Manager at PETCO, headquartered in San Diego. "With living animals, a rolling blackout could be disastrous even if only for 15 minutes. The integrated platform from Site Controls gives us complete insight and control over our energy usage while enabling us to intelligently reduce our peak demand," Speller added.

"This Energy Management System makes sense for PETCO because it includes a Pet Safety System. The system monitors pet habitats and reports unsafe conditions to employees and animal care experts immediately."

Electricity demand in Texas in April is typically around 40,000 megawatts, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). On Monday, total power use hit nearly 52,000 megawatts. ERCOT has requested that consumers and businesses curtail usage by 1,000 megawatts during peak hours this week.

PETCO was able to reduce peak energy demand across approximately 20 stores in Texas by 20 percent of its typical peak demand.

"PETCO helped the grid by dropping its stores' energy demand by 20 percent during this emergency," said Alison Silverstein, an energy consultant and former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Texas official. "If a third of the retail companies in Texas were as fast and effective at curtailing their energy use, then retailers alone could have delivered most of ERCOT's 1,000 megawatt objective, and we wouldn't have needed rolling blackouts in Texas yesterday."

"Our technology is designed to save money and provide visibility and control every day and then to enable rapid load management across multiple sites during peak times," said Mike Frost, CEO of Site Controls. "It is important to help business in Texas and nationwide to wisely manage energy usage and effectively reduce load on the grid. It's our combined effort that will help reduce rolling blackouts and brownouts -- ultimately reducing the need for additional power plants and transmission lines."

About PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc.

PETCO is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services. PETCO's vision is to best promote, through its people, the highest level of well being for companion animals, and to support the human-animal bond. PETCO generated net sales of $2 billion in fiscal 2005. It operates 779 stores in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading destination for online pet food and supplies at www.petco.com. Since its inception in 1999, The PETCO Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than $28 million in support of more than 3,300 non-profit grassroots animal welfare organizations around the nation.

About Site Controls

Site Controls is a technology-driven energy solutions company bringing real value to our customers by designing and delivering comprehensive, simple to use Energy Management Solutions for today's complex energy challenges. The revolutionary approach to energy management provides retail, restaurants and convenience stores with hyper-responsive, web-enabled technologies to monitor and significantly reduce energy usage. Site Controls (http://www.site-controls.com) is based in Austin, Texas.

Source: Business Wire

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