WSI Launches New Version of Power Watch for Ames Electric Department

Press Release

WSI is pleased to announce that it has completed the development of a web based system to display near real time temperature and megawatt electrical consumption from a utility's SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system that monitors and controls power production.

This system is designed to provide an extremely high level of security. It isolates the Utility's mission critical SCADA system from the Internet by converting an analog signal from the SCADA system into digital values that can be displayed on the Utility's web site or any website the Utility designates.

A desktop widget (see http://widgets.yahoo.com/ to enable widgets on your computer) has also been developed. The widget allows the media or any Internet user to install a small program on their computer that will display the temperature and megawatt consumption values. This allows avid power watchers to constantly know the power plant's output without having to visit a specific web page.

An automated email system was also created to allow people to subscribe to a list and be notified by email when certain critical levels of power consumption are reached. These tools can be used by a Utility to let the media to know when they need to issue peak alerts to the public.

Steve A. Wilson "The Energy Guy" at Ames Electric Services a municipal utility based in Ames Iowa has been using versions of this system for over four years to keep the media and public informed.

"The Power Watch system Winning Solutions, Inc. created for us has improved the timeliness of our communications with the media and the public, while reducing our staff work load. WSI has worked closely with our technical staff to make the system secure and with the City's public relations people to make sure it complimented the City's website."

Winning Solutions, Inc. has offices in Ames, Iowa and Fort Myers, Florida. It provides custom web and database design and programming services to clients throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. WSI has been in business since 1996 and has a reputation for delivering large and small projects on time and on budget. For more information please contact Mark Steffen (515) 239-9900 extension 102 or email mesteffen@winningsolutionsinc.com.

Ames Electric Services is a municipal utility that generates and delivers electricity to the citizens and businesses of Ames, Iowa. For more information please visit http://www.cityofames.org/ElectricWeb/Default.htm or contact Steve A. Wilson “The Energy Guy” at (515) 239-5177 or swilson@city.ames.ia.us.

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