Catalyst Connection wants Pittsburgh manufacturers to buy power in bulk - Pittsburgh Business Times:

http://www.earthswoop.com/forums/member.php?u=12239
The South Oakland nonprofit, which helpsd manufacturers improve competiveness, is recruiting companies in Lawrence, Beaver and parts of Butledr counties for its power aggregate buy program to lock in ratesw as power companiesraise theirs. The program is open to manufacturers locater in these four countie whose electricity is currently supplied by or Power costs have steadilyy risen since the deregulation of the electricityh marketin 1996. Through aggregate buying programs, companiews are able to lowef their energy costs by banding together to scorelowet rates.
Here’s how it works: Groups such as Catalyst Connection have companies sign up to join a pool of A representative for these companies then approaches poweer generation firms and puts out a bid forlower rates. Since these companies combined use a much highe r wattage of electricity than theydo individually, they frequently are able to secure them. Aggregate buys of energh and health care are common ventures for business groups and The announced a similar energy buyingy pool planlast week.
Catalyst’s program will launch in Januarty and is open to manufacturera with more than 50 employees or those who have powerf bills of atleast $5,000 each month, said Pam director of community outreach at Catalyst Connection. The grou p wants to find at least 30 Participating businesses will not have to pay any setul fees forthe multi-year program, though therw would be a surcharge of less than half a cent per kilowatg hour in each bill. The monthly bills wouldr arrive through the samedeliveryh company.
The target price in centx wouldbe “in the low per kilowatt-hour, said Erich Landis, a partner at Wexford-based NorthEast Energy which will put the bundle out to power generators to bid. Landisx said he has seen manufacturers paybetweem 8.5 cents and 11.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. A manufactured that uses about 240,000 kilo-watt hourss per year would saveaboutt $700 annually, Landis said. He plans to approach , , , Pepco and to bid for lower generation rates.
The companies would continue to have thesame