GDF SUEZ Energy Resources to Enter Ohio Retail Electricity Market

HOUSTON, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA announced it is entering the Ohio retail electricity market, bringing expanded options for pricing, products, and services to customers in the Toledo Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating (CEI), Ohio Edison, and Dayton Power & Light territories.

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The move coincides with a decision by FirstEnergy to transition grid control for its Ohio transmission utilities from the Midwest ISO to the PJM Interconnection, a move that could cause cost increases in certain energy supply components for commercial, industrial, and institutional customers. That change becomes effective June 1, 2011; GDF SUEZ Energy Resources began pricing transactions on April 15 for service that starts in June 2011.

Customers of Toledo Edison, CEI, and Ohio Edison – all of which are FirstEnergy utilities – are most likely to feel the impact of the change from MISO to PJM. To help electricity buyers prepare for the move, GDF SUEZ Energy Resources has scheduled an educational webinar for May 19. Commercial and industrial electricity purchasers can participate in the event by signing up at www.ohiowakeup.com/.

Although Ohio restructured its markets in 2000, many customers have not taken full advantage of the opportunities that exist in a competitive marketplace. And while there has been a recent uptick in customers switching electricity providers, the approaching shift from MISO to PJM is expected to accelerate that trend while also allowing those that have switched to consider new suppliers.

"This transfer of grid control is going to bring about some potentially significant changes for anyone who is used to the pricing and processes of MISO," said Robert Wilson, President and CEO of GDF SUEZ Energy Resources. "In entering the Ohio market, we want to provide customers with a broader range of service offerings designed to mitigate the impact of these changes, minimize risks, meet specific operational needs, and provide greater budget certainty during this transition."

As part of its entry into the Ohio market, GDF SUEZ Energy Resources has also developed a website specific to the state, www.poweringohio.com. The site was created to give electricity buyers the information they need not only to navigate FirstEnergy's shift from MISO to PJM, but also to make the best possible choices related to their energy use, management, and costs.

Ohio represents the 12th U.S. market served by GDF SUEZ Energy Resources, and follows the company's successful expansion into various Pennsylvania utility territories in 2009 and 2010.

Parent company GDF SUEZ Energy North America already has in its portfolio two natural gas-fired power generation facilities in the Buckeye State: the Ashtabula facility, a cogeneration facility providing the power and steam needs of a local manufacturer, and a 616 MW independent power plant in Luchey, OH.

David Braun, Regional Vice President, PJM, for GDF SUEZ Energy Resources – who has extensive experience in both the PJM and MISO markets – said one of the company's key goals in Ohio is to continue its tradition of being an information leader on issues critical to commercial and industrial electricity users.

"We believe the more customers know about these issues, the more likely they will be to make better, smarter energy decisions," Braun said. "That is especially important in Ohio, where capacity costs are likely to increase, and these customers will be seeking ways to manage what they spend on electricity. That's why we have scheduled the webinar and created the website – because we want to provide them the tools and resources they need to do that, from understanding how power is priced to helping them assess their risk tolerance."

GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA is one of the largest non-residential retail energy suppliers in the U.S. and currently serves commercial and industrial customers in 12 markets: Delaware, Texas, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, Ohio, and Washington, D.C. The company serves over 73,000 accounts for customers having a peak demand ranging from 50 KW to more than 200 MW, with an estimated peak load totaling nearly 10,000 MW.

To learn more about GDF SUEZ Energy Resources, visit www.gdfsuezenergyresources.com or call 1-866-999-8374.

GDF SUEZ Energy Resources is part of the international energy groups International Power and GDFSUEZ.

For more information, please visit www.iprplc-gdfsuez.com and www.gdfsuez.com.

SOURCE GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA