Advanced Control Systems and ESRI Partner For Integrated Utility Smart Grid Solutions

TAMPA, FL, January 22, 2008 -- Advanced Control Systems, Inc. (ACS), a leading provider of smart grid automation and system solutions to global utilities, and ESRI, the world’s leading developer of geographic information systems software, announced jointly today here at DistribuTECH that ACS has joined the ESRI partner program.

The companies will work together to expand the available integration between their products in support of emerging smart grid market requirements for increasingly tighter integration between geospatial and real-time smart grid systems.

"With the entire electric utility industry focusing on smart grid solutions now, we welcome our partnership with Advanced Control Systems and look forward to delivering real value to our mutual customers through the relationship," said Bill Meehan, PE, director of utility solutions for ESRI. 

ACS plans call for improved integration that supports incremental model changes to ACS system network topology directly from the ESRI geodatabase.  Utility companies will then have tools to automatically synchronize, without the need for cumbersome intermediate files and processes, changes between geographic data in ESRI applications and the real-time database and network feeder models that support ACS smart grid systems including feeder automation, substation automation, and distribution management system applications.

"We look forward to our partnership with ESRI so we can tightly integrate smart grid solutions with GIS and deliver added value to current and prospective customers alike," said Jeff Smith, director of marketing and alliances ACS.

About Advanced Control Systems
Advanced Control Systems, an EFACEC company, is a provider of smart grid solutions to the global electric power industry. The ACS software suite provides integrated distribution and outage management, simulation, optimization, and enterprise business intelligence. ACS automation products include a wide range of flexible and cost-effective substation, distribution, and feeder automation solutions. ACS is powering the utility of the future – today. For more information, visit www.acsatlanta.com.

About ESRI
Founded in 1969, ESRI (www.esri.com) is the world leader in the GIS software industry. ESRI offers innovative solutions that help users create, manage, analyze, and display information to make timely decisions and solve problems they encounter every day. ESRI’s comprehensive product line ranges from desktop GIS to GIS for the enterprise.

CONTACTS:

ACS Media Relations
The McDonnell Group, Inc.
Don McDonnell
don@themcdonnellgroup.com
404-583-0003 

ACS Sales
sales@acsatlanta.com
800-831-7223

ESRI
Mitchell Garnett
mgarnett@esri.com
425-445-3500