Automated Power Exchange Inc. (APX), with technical assistance from Bechtel, recently won a three-year, $15 million contract with the Mountain West Independent Scheduling Administrator (ISA). Also, the company announced an equity infusion totaling $15.5 million from a variety of investors.

APX is expected to provide wholesale electricity scheduling and related information infrastructure services to the Mountain West ISA, mostly for Nevada operations. The contract calls for APX to provide turnkey hardware and software systems and operational staff to allow power producers, electric service providers and traders to begin using the services in March 2000, when electric industry competition is expected to begin in Nevada.

"In selecting Automated Power Exchange, the Mountain West ISA has chosen to employ our automated systems for auctions, markets, scheduling, settlement, and real-time market information, transactions, and notifications," said Ed Cazalet, APX CEO. "By outsourcing these services, the Mountain West ISA is taking a highly efficient route that will relieve the rate payers and the electricity industry from the costly alternative of large custom-configured computer systems."

The contract was awarded by the Mountain West ISA after a competitive selection process. Bechtel Consulting, a subcontractor to APX, is expected to design and implement an interface between the ISA and the control area systems used by Sierra Pacific Resources.