Denver, CO ─ August 12, 2010 – Enspiria Solutions, a leading provider of consulting and systems integration services to the utility and government sectors, today announced that it has been selected to provide technical consultation, program management and systems integration for the acquisition and deployment of a Smart Grid Solution for the City of Fort Collins Utilities. The City of Fort Collins Utilities was recently awarded a Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the deployment of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system and other Smart Grid technologies.

Over the course of the next three years, the Utility department will deploy flexible and robust technologies that will serve as a foundation to enable benefits well into the future. The City as a whole is passionate about creating a vibrant, world-class community and this Smart Grid project is a vital part of that vision. “We've made a commitment to deliver innovative, results-oriented services that meet the changing needs of our customers and the many climate, infrastructure and security considerations we face,” said Steve Catanach, Manager of Light and Power.

Enspiria Solutions, a leading provider of consulting and systems integration services to the utility sector, has helped to define and implement Smart Grid programs that benefit approximately 70 million utility customers for more than 40 utilities across North America. Enspiria was recently acquired by Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company specializing in infrastructure development in energy, water, telecommunications, management consulting, federal, and environmental markets. Enspiria will bring to bear multiple skill sets of consulting, project management, change management, business process re-engineering, system engineering, and test engineering for this complex system.

“We are thrilled to be part of the City of Fort Collins Utilities team on this important project,” said Jim Ketchledge, Enspiria’s General Manager of Projects. “Fort Collins has a passion for outstanding customer service that we share, and we are excited about bringing Smart Grid benefits to fellow citizens of Colorado. This project will reduce demand, enhance customer service capabilities, improve reliability and harden the infrastructure to protect it from cyber attacks.”

About Enspiria Solutions ─ A Black & Veatch Company
Enspiria® Solutions (Enspiria) is a leading provider of Smart Grid consulting and program integration. With a unique combination of experience, strategy, and implementation expertise, Enspiria’s professionals provide in-depth Smart Grid services by defining and delivering complete solutions that benchmark the intelligent utilities and telecommunication companies of tomorrow. Specific areas of expertise include: smart meter and meter data management systems, demand response, transmission and distribution management systems, consumer portal and energy management systems, outage management systems, geographical information systems, work and asset management, regulatory submission assistance and expert witness testimony.

Enspiria is backed by the financial strength of parent company Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company with $2.7 billion in annual revenue. Together, Enspiria Solutions and Black & Veatch provide complete concept through completion Smart Grid services, offering our clients a single point of contact for planning, developing, and implementing this complex infrastructure. Our services enable utilities to fully realize the benefits of past, current, and future technology investments.

About Fort Collins Utilities
Fort Collins Utilities provides electric, water, stormwater and wastewater services to residents and businesses in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado. For more information, visit http://fcgov.com/utilities