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Gold/Mining/Energy : KERM'S KORNER -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kerm Yerman who wrote (13118)	10/30/1998 12:02:00 PM
From: Kerm Yerman	Read Replies (8) \| Respond to of 15196

IN THE NEWS / Natural Gas Provides a Solution to Recurring Power Crisis Nicor Provides Natural Gas-Powered Cogeneration as a Reliable Answer to Power Supply Issues NAPERVILLE, Ill., Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Unbearably hot summer temperatures seemed to be the norm this past summer, not only for Chicagoans, but for people throughout the country. This past summer, steamy temperatures peaking in the 90s and above brought outdoor activities to a halt, caused unhealthy conditions for seniors and infants, and sent the demand for electricity to record-breaking heights. While officials instructed residents to stay cool, energy providers were encouraging customers to turn off the AC in an effort to relieve the strain on their resources. In addition, commercial and industrial customers were asked to shut down operations during peak periods -- often when the largest number of workers are producing the largest amount of revenue. Was there an alternative? Cogeneration -- the use of inexpensive natural gas to generate electricity. A number of commercial and industrial businesses, schools, hospitals, manufacturers and institutions all across Illinois create their own power on-site using cogeneration systems instead of purchasing electricity from a utility. As more businesses add cogeneration systems, less demand is placed on the local utility and the burden placed on the electric grid during periods of high power usage will decrease substantially, reducing the risk of outages for all customers. ''Business owners won't need to worry about reliability and losing revenue during peak hours due to a power outage,'' explains Tom Fisher, CEO of Nicor, a Midwest energy supplier that offers solutions to energy needs, including the installation of cogeneration systems. ''Our goal is to provide a service that makes everyone comfortable. Cogeneration is a phenomenal solution -- it is an available, cost efficient, reliable alternative power source.'' Nicor's cogeneration systems provide many benefits: Businesses have more control over their energy use Quick back-up solution to power outages due to severe weather Businesses can stay up and running during power outages -- cogeneration eliminates the need to recover costs incurred due to a blackout or voluntary shutdown Reduces operating costs -- power produced by an on-site cogeneration system can reduce electric bills by as much as 50 percent Hospitals' surgeries and life-saving treatments do not have to be postponed due to the threat of a power outage Elimination of the threat posed to facilities with delicately controlled environments ''Any interruption to electrical service could be tragic to institutions like Brookfield Zoo,'' explained Ralph Piland, operations manager at Brookfield Zoo. ''Fluctuations in energy supply may compromise the sophisticated and sensitive electronic controls for life support systems that are critical to the welfare of the zoo's animal collection.'' The zoo has a cogeneration system designed and installed by Nicor Solutions that has been operating without incident during the intense heat experienced this summer. It also kept the zoo running during the power outages caused by last winter's storms in the Chicago area, proving that cogeneration systems aren't just a summer thing. South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest has had a 900-kilowatt cogeneration system operating since the early '70s, and last year Nicor Solutions installed a major addition to the hospital's cogeneration capacity with a new 1050-kilowatt system. The two systems allowed South Suburban to maintain its power supply during the power outage last winter. In fact, the hospital accepted patients from neighboring hospitals that were ''left in the dark.'' It also has been in operation during the high temperatures and storms this summer. ''Power reliability is a critical issue for hospitals. South Suburban's cogeneration system switched on automatically when the electric supply went out in March,'' explained Joseph Daniel, manager of facilities management at South Suburban. ''We were able to maintain normal hospital procedures and our patients were unaffected by the power outage.'' Unpredictable electric prices and questionable supplies have led to business decision-makers placing increased importance on technologies that allow them to be in control of their own power supply. Some cogeneration customers use the system to produce all the power they need, while others produce their own power during expensive peak energy times and purchase electricity during off-peak hours. Either way, they have the control to make the system work exactly the way they want, in the most cost-efficient manner. Nicor has taken the lead by assisting customers with production and installation of cogeneration systems in the Greater Chicago area. As an energy partner, Nicor is committed to helping commercial and industrial customers explore potential energy cost savings. It offers free operating cost analysis to help identify feasible cogeneration applications and will assist qualified customers to obtain engineering, consulting and financing sources as needed. For more information on cogeneration contact Nicor at 888-Nicor4u (888-642-6748) or visit the Nicor Web site at www.nicorinc.com. Providing reliable energy services to customers for more than 40 years, Nicor is the parent company of Nicor Gas, the largest natural gas distribution company in Illinois and the fifth largest in the nation. As Nicor's principal subsidiary, Nicor Gas serves more than 1.9 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, including the greater Chicago suburban area. Nicor owns and operates several other energy-related affiliates and subsidiaries including Nicor Energy, Nicor Natural Gas Vehicles, Nicor Services, Nicor Solutions, Nicor Technologies and Nicor Hub Services.