E SOURCE Will conduct National Market Research Study on Power Reliability

More than 700 executives and energy managers across seven key industry segments will be interviewed to determine their beliefs and attitudes regarding power outages, how reliability issues come into play in their choice of suppliers, their actual cost of outages, and their desires and needs for new reliability-related products and services.

According to E SOURCE Senior Vice President Bradley Davids, "this study is designed to help energy service providers. The results of this study will do two things. First, it will help energy service providers evaluate which segments of the commercial industrial market are the best prospects for reliability related products and services. Secondly, we think that the results of this study will give energy providers a better perspective on how users perceive reliability trends in the new deregulated environment."

Davids says that E SOURCE will call the major national study of energy managers' opinions on power reliability issues "Reliability in the Emerging Electricity Marketplace: The End-User Perspective." Currently, E SOURCE is soliciting participants for the multi-client market research study, which is slated to begin this October. If all goes according to plan, the preliminary findings of this study will be delivered to the study sponsors by December of 1998. Segment-specific and national results will be provided to sponsors, along with an in-depth assessment of reliability-related business opportunities for energy service providers.

Davids says that "Utilities around the U.S. are grappling with issues of power reliability and preparedness, especially in the aftermath of recent outages across the nation. Commercial and industrial consumers are becoming increasingly concerned that electric deregulation may lead to decreases in system reliability. To understand and meet the needs of these customers, energy service providers need solid data on the cost of outages to those customers' businesses, as well as on their willingness to purchase reliability-related products and services."

Sponsors who commit to the study prior to September 30 receive a reduced price, and will be able to help shape the survey design. For more information on the study, or to receive a full prospectus, please call Chris Henrichs of E SOURCE at 303-440-8500.