VANCOUVER, British Columbia - eTradeWire -- Rainforest Automation and FortisBC Inc. (FortisBC) have announced a new project to help customers reduce electricity use during peak demand periods. This initiative is an expansion into a real-time automated approach that gives customers visibility around how and when they use electricity. By managing energy during peak demand periods, it can ease pressure on the system and helps defer or lessen the need to build new infrastructure as energy demand continues to grow.

The project is targeted to commercial and industrial electricity customers in the Southern Interior who are participating in FortisBC's Power Hours for Business Program. For FortisBC, the project supports a proactive approach to managing peak demand in the Southern Interior while continuing to deliver reliable and affordable electricity for customers.

As electricity demand continues to grow, utilities can face increasing pressure on infrastructure during peak periods. Advancing how electricity demand is managed can ease pressure on the system and help defer or lessen the need to build new infrastructure, improving system capacity while supporting reliable service and helping keep electricity rates as low as possible for customers.

The initiative builds on existing demand response programs by introducing real-time visibility and more responsive control, enabling a more dynamic approach to managing electricity demand. By combining customer participation with real-time data and automation, the project moves beyond traditional approaches and establishes a scalable model for supporting the evolving needs of the electricity grid.

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"This project is about making electricity demand visible and controllable in real time," said Chris Tumpach, CEO of Rainforest Automation. "By working with FortisBC, we're proving how this approach can actively support grid reliability and enable a more flexible, responsive electricity system."

"As electricity demand continues to grow in the Southern Interior, managing peak demand is critical to maintaining reliable service for our customers," said Joe Mazza, vice president, energy supply and resource development, FortisBC. "This project reflects how FortisBC is using innovation and collaboration to manage demand more efficiently—helping us support our customers, reduce pressure on the system during peak times, and limit the need to build new infrastructure while continuing to deliver safe and reliable energy."

This project is supported through funding from the Province of British Columbia's Innovative Clean Energy (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/electricity-alternative-energy/innovative-clean-energy-solutions/innovative-clean-energy-ice-fund) Fund, which advances the development and deployment of clean energy technology projects across the province.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions.

FortisBC commercial and industrial customers can learn more and apply for the program at fortisbc.com/powerhoursbusiness.

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About Rainforest Automation
Rainforest Automation is a Vancouver-based clean technology company focused on helping utilities and customers better manage electricity demand. Through its LiveDR™ platform and EAGLE™ gateway, Rainforest provides real-time energy data, customer engagement tools, and automation to support more flexible and responsive electricity systems across North America and internationally.

About FortisBC
FortisBC Inc. is a regulated utility focused on providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity. FortisBC Inc. employs approximately 571 British Columbians and serves approximately 190,600 direct and indirect customers in B.C.'s Southern Interior. FortisBC Inc. owns and operates four regulated hydroelectric generating plants and approximately 7,300 kilometres of transmission and distribution power lines. FortisBC Inc. is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electricity and gas utility industry. FortisBC Inc. uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. For further information on FortisBC Inc., visit fortisbc.com. For further information on Fortis Inc., visit fortisinc.com.

About Innovative Clean Energy Fund

Since 2008, the Innovative Clean Energy Fund has committed approximately $135 million to support pre-commercial clean-energy technology projects. To learn more about the Innovative Clean Energy Fund, visit: https://www.gov.bc.ca/innovativecleanenergyfund

Media Contact:
Matthew Gierc
Director of Marketing
Rainforest Automation, Inc.
mgierc@rainforestautomation.com
604-630-4287

Lauren Beckett
Corporate communications advisor
FortisBC
Lauren.beckett@fortisbc.com
604-312-8158