btes’ reliability helps teleperformance succeed · teleperformance opened its first site in the...

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Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES) understands the importance of providing reliable services to our community, including the businesses and industries in our community to keep them up and running. For one global company with a branch in Bristol, Tennessee, the reliable electric, Internet and cable service provided by BTES helps them achieve their mission of delivering an outstanding customer experience. Located on West State Street in Bristol, Tennessee, Teleperformance is a customer care center that aims to provide superior customer care services and support to a variety of Fortune 500 companies, as well as several other businesses. “Teleperformance is a worldwide leader in multichannel customer experience,” explained Robert Smith, call center manager. “We work to improve business results and to support people and our local communities.” Founded in 1978, Teleperformance operates 135,000 computerized workstations, and has more than 182,000 employees across 270 contact centers in 62 countries. Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions in 2001. In July 2010, US Solutions became part of the Teleperformance family and, in 2012, moved to its current location on West State Street. “At our location in Bristol, we have approximately 700 employees with plans for continued growth throughout 2016,” Smith said. Teleperformance’s success is directly linked to the satisfaction of their employees. “Our unique focus on people, backed by our experienced and committed management team, ensures we meet and exceed our clients’ and their customers’ expectations,” Smith explained. “Our People Strategy states that happy employees make happy customers, which makes happy clients and happy shareholders.” BTES is also an important component in Teleperformance’s success. Winter 2016 ~ For Customers of Bristol Tennessee Essential Services I n T h i s I s s u e Electric Grill and Smoker Construction Department Highlight Recipes Water Heaters BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed

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Page 1: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES) understands

the importance of providing reliable services to our

community, including the businesses and industries in

our community to keep them up and running. For one

global company with a branch in Bristol, Tennessee, the

reliable electric, Internet and cable service provided by

BTES helps them achieve their mission of delivering an

outstanding customer experience.

Located on West State Street in Bristol, Tennessee,

Teleperformance is a customer care center that aims to

provide superior customer care services and support to a

variety of Fortune 500 companies, as well as several other

businesses.

“Teleperformance is a worldwide

leader in multichannel customer

experience,” explained Robert

Smith, call center manager. “We

work to improve business results

and to support people and our

local communities.”

Founded in 1978, Teleperformance

operates 135,000 computerized

workstations, and has more than

182,000 employees across 270

contact centers in 62 countries.

Teleperformance opened its first

site in the United States in 1993.

The Bristol branch of

Teleperformance began as US

Solutions in 2001. In July 2010, US

Solutions became part of the Teleperformance family and, in

2012, moved to its current location on West State Street.

“At our location in Bristol, we have approximately 700

employees with plans for continued growth throughout

2016,” Smith said.

Teleperformance’s success is directly linked to the

satisfaction of their employees.

“Our unique focus on people, backed by our experienced

and committed management team, ensures we meet and

exceed our clients’ and their customers’ expectations,” Smith

explained. “Our People Strategy

states that happy employees

make happy customers, which

makes happy clients and happy

shareholders.”

BTES is also an important component

in Teleperformance’s success.

Winter 2016 ~ For Customers of Bristol Tennessee Essential Services

In This Issue

Electric Grill andSmoker

Construction DepartmentHighlight

Recipes

Water Heaters

BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed

� � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

Page 2: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

Better Service, Lower Cost

and High Safety StandardsOwned and published by

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services,

serving more than 33,000 electric customers

and more than 16,000 fiber customers.

Dr. R. Michael BrowderChief Executive Officer

BTES News is published four times a year.

Address changes, news items and

suggestions should be sent to

P.O. Box 549, Bristol, TN 37621.

BTES website: www.btes.net

Editor: Leslie Blevins

Our Mission

To provide service to our customers,

employees and community that exceeds

their expectations.

Our Vision

To be the best electric, Internet,

telephone and cable television provider.

News

� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 2

Recently, we were reviewing with the BTES Board about how

our Fiber-Optic Communication System and other

components of our strategic plans have helped, in one year,

reduce our system outage time by 35 percent. This only takes

into account outages that were restored faster than they would

have been the year before, when we didn't have the

IntelliRupter switches controlled over the fiberoptic system.

When measuring power outages, we count every customer, every minute. This is the most

stringent outage measurement used in the electric utility industry. Some don't count

small outages. Some don't count large outages caused by storms. Some don't even count

any outages. At BTES we have, for many years, counted every customer. Every minute.

Our goal is less than 60 minutes outage time, per year, per customer. In 2015 we reduced

our outage time to 34 minutes per customer. We would like to keep every one of our

customers on all the time. Impossible. But we have reduced a large part of the former

outage time!

In the fall of 2002, I was chairing an American Public Power Association's fall board

meeting. Our speaker was the president of the Electric Power Research Institute. He was

discussing the entire West Coast outage that was fresh on everyone's mind. Their research

had shown that the outage could have been largely prevented — and more quickly

restored — through the use of a faster, more robust communication and switching

system. I said, "That would be great, but the electric industry and our customers can’t

afford it." Three years later, we were serving Internet and cable over such a system. BTES'

electric system had built such a system and we set up a Broadband Business Unit to

provide Internet and cable. A year later, we had a Telephone Business Unit and were

serving telephone customers. We now serve more than 16,000 Internet, telephone and

cable customers over this system.

BTES serves 17 city and county schools with gigabit data service, giving our students the

benefit of joining other BTES customers who have some of the best data services available

anywhere, and much better than most. Most Tennesseans cannot even imagine such speed

and reliability. BTES fiber customers pay the cost for the system, and the electric customers

experience a much more reliable electric system with over $6 million per year in savings

because of having the fiber-optic system and the way we use it. We read over half of our

meters with the system. Every one of the customers with fiber-optic service instantly reports

when there is a power outage. Every one of our substations automatically reports data and

other problems at the speed of light. This helps prevent outages, or resolves other problems,

again, at that same speed of light.

We recently had an outage that caused half of The Pinnacle, including Bass Pro Shops and

Belk, to lose power. Their BTES electric system, utilizing the BTES Fiber-Optic System,

opened one switch and closed three more in sequence while testing each section. All of

The Pinnacle had service restored in less than one minute!

On Feb. 2, TVA had a 161,000-volt potential transformer fail, shutting down BTES'

Blountville Primary Substation. With just a portion of our Automated Switching System

completely installed, we were able to restore all customers and five substations from Tri-

Cities Regional Airport to Bristol Regional Medical Center, including greater Blountville, in

less than 10 minutes...and with NO injuries! Not long ago, without the fiber-optic system

and the automated switches, this would have taken hours.

Meeting our Mission and Vision ... More Reliable Service ... Better Cost and done Safely for

our Customers. Thanks for being our customer and ...

Good luck!

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Page 3: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

b c d eNews Winter 2016 Page 3

Teleperformance Continued from Page 1

“Our business depends on stability and consistency,” Smith

said. “Our clients and customers expect us to be available

during all hours of operation. BTES helps provide that

stability and continuous service so that we can continue to

serve our customers.”

BTES works with established businesses and industries in our

community through the BTES Existing Industry Program to

promote economic development.

“Our Existing Industry Program gives our industries a single

point of contact for electric and fiber needs, and workforce

development and retention,” said BTES Business

Development Manager April Eads. “BTES seeks to maintain

open communication with businesses and industries to assist

in growing their customer base.”

Through the Existing Industry Program, Eads made 175 visits

to businesses in 2015, providing a variety of services and

facilitating the resolution of problems. BTES partners with

other organizations to meet these needs.

“There is a lot of publicity about the need to bring new

business to the community, and BTES is very active in the

recruitment of new business in Bristol,” said

BTES CEO Mike Browder. “Yet, 85 percent of

new jobs in the United States come from

existing industries in local communities. We

want to help ensure those existing industries

have the tools they need to succeed in our

area.”

Whether opening a new business, enhancing

employee training opportunities or moving to

a new location, BTES is there to help.

“We love partnering with BTES,” Smith said.

“Their dependable service and amazing staff

are there for us when needed.”� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � f � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � g � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � h � � � � � � � � � g � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � �

Page 4: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 4

Construction Department Highlight

BTES’ construction department performs all phases of transmission and distribution construction and maintenance for new, existingand future electric facilities, from substations to street lights, and for the fiber-optic distribution system. All of these employees havecompleted or are in the process of completing a 4.5-year, on-the-job Apprentice Lineman Program. They are trained to perform allconstruction and maintenance jobs in all types of weather.

i j k l m n o p q r s p t m l u p v m s wx p u l y r m k r z v w t n { p y | { } m k ~n z r m m p { p y | p v m t } � r l � �n � s � r q r y � p } � z m k r t l s rm k } � z ~ � o t p � n � l � � y } q r� p { � m k r y p l � l � � t r r m k r{ p y | m k l m n k l q r � p � r ~ �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

i j r � p r q r y w m k } � z m k l m { r� l � r l � k � l w t p m k l mp v y � v t m p s r y t k l q r m k r } yr o r � m y } � } m w m p r l m l k p m s r l o �m l | r l k p m t k p { r y l � � t o r r �} � l { l y s k p s r ~ � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � �

i j r l y r l m } z k m � | � } m p y z l � } � l m } p � ~� q r y w p � r l m � � � � � r r o t l t } �m k r w k l q r m { p � l s } o } r t � l k p s r� l s } o w l � � l { p y | � l s } o w ~ j } m kp � o w � � r s � o p w r r t � { r k l q r m p{ p y | � o p t r o w m p � y p q } � r r   � r o o r � mt r y q } � r m p p v y � v t m p s r y t ~ �¡ � � ¢ � � � £ � � � � � � ¤ ¥ � ¦ � � � � � � � § ¢i ¨ v y � v t m p s r y t s l w � p m y r l o } � rm k l m { r p � o w r s � o p w � � � r p � o rl m � � � � ~ j r l o o { r l y s l � wk l m t l � � { p y | m p z r m k r y � p } � z� v s r y p v t x p u t m p � y p q } � r m k ru r t m t r y q } � r m p p v y � v t m p s r y t ~ �¡ � � ¢ � � � £ � � � � � �© � � � � ª � � « � �

i � k r u r t m � l y m p � s w x p u } ty r � p � � v � m p y } � z o } � r t l � �� p o r � k l � z r p v m t ~ � k r t r x p u tm l | r l o p m p � � o l � � } � z l � �p y z l � } � l m } p � m p r � � r � m } q r o w� p s � o r m r ~ �¡ � � ¢ � � � £ � � � � � �¬ � � � � ­ � ® ¯ � ° °

i ± v y } � z o l y z r p v m l z r t � m k r{ k p o r � p s � l � w � } m � k r t } � m pk r o � y r t m p y r t r y q } � r ~ ² y p s p v y� r � l y m s r � m y r � l } y } � z � p o r t l � �o } � r t m p m k r r � z } � r r y } � z� r � l y m s r � m l t t r t t } � z m k r� l s l z r l � � l t t } t m } � z { } m k m k r� r t } z � p � p v y � l � } o } m } r t m p m k rp � r t � p p | } � z l � � u y } � z } � z � p p �p v m m p m k r � y r { t � { r l o o � p s rm p z r m k r y � v y } � z m p v z k m } s r t ~ n ms l | r t s r � y p v � m p u r � l y m p �m k r m r l s l m � � � � ~ �¡ � � ¢ � � � £ � � � � � �� � ° � ­ � � � � �i � k r k l y � r t m � l y m } t t m l w } � z s r � m l o o w� p � v t r � { k } o r p � m k r x p u ~ � k r x p uy r ³ v } y r t v t m p t m l w � p � v t r � p � { k l m{ r l y r � p } � z l m l o o m } s r t � { k l m y r t v o m tl y r z p } � z m p � p s r � y p s p v y l � m } p � t �l � � p � m k r t l � r m w p � r q r y w p � r} � q p o q r � ~ � � � � � � � � ´ � � � ¡ � « «i � k r k l y � r t m � l y m } t{ p y | } � z o p � z k p v y t� v y } � z t m p y s t m k l m k l q r� l v t r � p v m l z r t ~ � � � �{ p y | t l y p v � � m k r � o p � |v � m } o r o r � m y } � } m w } t y r t m p y r �m p p v y r � m } y r t r y q } � rl y r l ~ �¬ µ µ � � � ¥ � § � � � � � � � �¶ � � � ¢ ¬ � � � � � � �

i j r l y r � y p v � p � m k rt r y q } � r { r � y p q } � r m p p v y� v t m p s r y t ~ � u p q r l o o r o t r �{ r l y r � y p v � p � p v yy r o } l u o r t r y q } � r t l � � p � p v yp v m t m l � � } � z t l � r m w y r � p y � ~j r � p r q r y w m k } � z m k l m { r� l � m p t r � � p v y � r p � o rk p s r m p m k r } y � l s } o } r t r l � kl � � r q r y w � } z k m ~ �¶ � � � § ¥ � � � · ¸ µ � � � ¥ � � � �� � � ¤ � · � ¥ � ¹ � � � � ¥ � ¹ � � �

Page 5: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 5

i n { } t k p v y� p s s v � } m w| � r { m k l mm k r y r } t lo p m s p y r } �{ k l m { r � pr q r y w � l wm k l � { k l ml � � r l y t m pm k r r w r ~ ¨ v y s l } � z p l o } t m p� y p q } � r y r o } l u o r l � � t l � rt r y q } � r t m p p v y � p s s v � } m w � l � �{ r � p m k } t u w l o { l w t o p p | } � z � p y{ l w t m p � p � m } � v p v t o w } s � y p q r ~ �¬ µ µ � � � ¥ � § � � � � � � � �º � § ¢ � » � � � �i ¨ � r p � m k r k l y � r t mm k } � z t l u p v m s w x p u } t� o l z z } � z m y l � � } � ~ n � r r om k l m m y l � � } � � p � m y p o } t m k rs p t m � l � z r y p v t � l y m p �p v y x p u ~ �� � � � � � � ´ � � � � � � �

i ¼ w � l q p y } m r � l y m t p � s wx p u l y r { p y | } � z p v m t } � rl � � o r l y � } � z � r { { l w t m pl � � p s � o } t k m l t | t ~ j rt m y } q r m p u r m k r u r t mt r y q } � r � y p q } � r y l � �r   � r r � p v y � v t m p s r y t �r   � r � m l m } p � t } � r q r y w m k } � z{ r � p ~ � � � � � � � �­ � ¥ ¥ ½ � � · · � ¥ ¥i � k r k l y � r t m � l y m p � s w x p u} t { p y | } � z } � m k r � l y | ~ ¼ l � wm } s r t � v y } � z t r q r y r p v m l z r t{ r l y r { p y | } � z m k y p v z k m k r� } z k m ~ � k } t s l | r t p v y x p u tr q r � s p y r � l � z r y p v t ~ �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

i ² p y p v y � r � l y m s r � m � } m } t} s � p y m l � m � p y v t m p y r s r s u r ym k l m r q r y w � k p } � r { r s l | r� p m p � o w l � � r � m t v t u v m p v y� r o o p { r s � o p w r r t l � � m k r� p s s v � } m w ~ �¬ µ µ � � � ¥ � § � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � ¥ ° �i ¼ w � l q p y } m r � l y m } t u r } � zl u o r m p k r o � | r r � m k r� p { r y p � l � � k r o � u v } o �l � � s l } � m l } � o } � r t ~ j r� l � r � } � � r y r � m � k l o o r � z r tr q r y w � l w t p m k } t x p u� r q r y z r m t u p y } � z ~ �� � � � � � � ´ � � ¦ � � ª � � �

i � k r k l y � r t m � l y m p �s w x p u } t u r } � z l { l w� y p s s w � l s } o w l � �| } � t � p y o p � z � r y } p � t p �m } s r � v y } � z r   m y r s rp v m l z r t ~ ¼ w � l q p y } m r� l y m } t { p y | } � z { } m k lz y r l m z y p v � p � � r p � o r{ k p l y r l o t p z y r l m� y } r � � t ~ �¬ µ µ � � � ¥ � § � � � � � � � �� � � � � ­ � � � ° � § ¢i � k r u r t m � l y m p � s w x p u } tm k l m n z r m m p { p y | { } m k s wk l � � t l o o � l w ~ � � � �r s � o p w r r t � v m } � l o p m p �k l y � { p y | l � � � r � } � l m } p �t p m k l m r q r y w p � r } � p v y� p s s v � } m w � l � k l q rr o r � m y } � } m w l � � � p m k r m k } � z tm k r w o p q r m p � p ~ � o m k p v z k{ p y | } � z o p � z k p v y t � v y } � zt m p y s t } t m p v z k � { r l y rl o { l w t m k } � | } � z l u p v m p v y� p s s v � } m w � � r } z k u p y t l � �� y } r � � t � l � � m y w } � z p v yk l y � r t m m p r   � r r � p v y� v t m p s r y t � r   � r � m l m } p � t ~ �¬ µ µ � � � ¥ � § � � � � � � � �¡ � � © � ¢ � �i � � � � } t q r y w } � q p o q r � } �m k r � p s s v � } m w ~ � tr s � o p w r r t � { r � p m p � o wt r r } m l t p v y � v m w m p { p y |r q r y w � l w m p � y p q } � ry r o } l u o r t r y q } � r t � u v m { r| � p { m k l m { r s v t mt v � � p y m p v y � p s s v � } m wm p r � t v y r l u y } z k m r ym p s p y y p { � p y p v y� k } o � y r � ~ �� � � � � � � ´ � � � � ª � ° °

Page 6: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

Breakfast Smoothie

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup strawberries

1 medium banana, cut into chunks

2 cups ice

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 whole-cooked chicken breasts, shredded

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup ranch dressing

3/4 cup buffalo sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour into glasses.

*Add 1 tablespoon of honey for a sweeter smoothie. Milk can be

substituted for yogurt, if preferred.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dressing, cream cheese and buffalo

sauce until smooth. Add shredded chicken and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 6

The Lighter Side¾ ¿ À Á Â Ã Ä Å À Æ Ç È À Æ É Ã Ä Ê Æ É Ã Ë Â Ì È À Í À Å Å Ä Á ÎÏ Ð À Å Å Ä Á Ñ

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Page 7: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 7

Water Heaters: the “Hidden Battery”

What BTES has known for years, the world

is beginning to recognize. A study titled

“The Hidden Battery — Opportunities in

Electric Water Heaters” by The Brattle

Group (a global consulting firm with

expertise in economics, finance,

regulation, competition and energy) was

recently published. It states that using

electric water heaters in homes as thermal

batteries could save money, reduce carbon

dioxide emissions, and help electric

utilities regulate voltage and frequency.

“Electric water heaters can be thought of as

pre-installed batteries that are sitting idle in 50 million

U.S. homes, “ said Robin Roy, director, Building Energy

Efficiency and Clean Energy Strategy, Washington, D.C.

“If they were grid interactive — with the local utility or

grid operator having real-time communications and

control capability — the water in the tanks could be

heated when the grid is cleaner and more economic,

storing the hot water in the tank for when households

need to use it.”

According to EnergyBiz, the Brattle Group found that an

80-gallon electric water heater being controlled in a

thermal-storage program would generate around 30

percent less carbon dioxide.

“BTES began a Load Managed Water Heater Program

more than 20 years ago,” explained BTES CEO Mike

Browder. “This program involves installing a device on a

water heater that would be able to turn the unit off

during times when the electric load is at peak. This has

helped shift some of the electric load to lower-cost

periods of use.”

In the beginning, the system used radio receivers to turn

off water heaters during peak times. BTES would only

cycle water heaters off for three to four hours to avoid

the possibility of a few customers running out of hot

water. Although it was effective for the technology

available at that time, this system managed water

heaters with a device as one large group that was

incapable of collecting feedback data and shifting water

heaters individually.

“After we built our fiber-optic network in 2005, we

realized it was possible to implement a new technology

to improve the program and interact with water heaters

on an individual basis,” Browder said. “This new

technology included monitoring temperatures and

having the capability to turn individual water heaters on

and off.”

“We saw the potential to use this program to fill

minimum-usage periods, reduce peak-usage periods

and ultimately help save our customers even more

money by keeping costs low,” said Administrative

Systems Analyst Jessica Waterman, who manages the

Water Heater Program. “To successfully operate our

program, we set our water heaters to 135 degrees to

allow for optimal thermal storage.”

An additional benefit to setting water heaters at 135

degrees is to help reduce the risk of certain bacteria that

could potentially grow inside water heater tanks.

“Legionnaires’ disease is caused by a type of bacteria

called Legionella,” Waterman explained. “Having our

water heaters set at 135 degrees helps drastically reduce

the potential for these bacteria to grow, as well as serves

as a better ‘hidden battery’ to store energy for use at

other times.”

BTES continually looks for ways to improve our product

offerings and provide reliable, safe and cost-effective

services while exceeding our customers’ expectations.

If you are interested in participating in our Load

Managed Water Heater Program or need a new or

replacement water heater, give us a call at 423-968-1526.

To learn more about this program, visit our website —

www.btes.net/waterheaters.

Page 8: BTES’ Reliability Helps Teleperformance Succeed · Teleperformance opened its first site in the United States in 1993. The Bristol branch of Teleperformance began as US Solutions

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� ! "News Winter 2016 Page 8