Press Release
RWE Innogy Selects Verano's Linux-Based Performux for Core of Power Generation Control System.
Real-Time Plant Intelligence Platform Lowers Costs While Offering Secure, Internet-Enabled Management of Critical Industrial Operations
MANSFIELD, Mass., December 16, 2003
Leading UK energy company, RWE Innogy has installed Verano's Performux, a real-time plant intelligence software platform, at three of its coal-fired power stations in the UK, which generate 4550 megawatts of electricity-approximately half of the company's total capacity. Based on Verano's Real-Time Applications Platform (RTAP), Performux is the first Linux-based, plant operations software platform to offer secure, Internet-enabled management of critical industrial operations. This installation is the first step in transitioning all of RWE Innogy's APMS power generation control systems to Linux.
For the past eight years, RWE Innogy (formerly National Power) has relied on Verano's RTAP to provide a flexible and reliable SCADA platform for its power generation control system as the core of the Advanced Plant Management System (APMS), developed by Innogy and Thales Information Systems in 1995. An indispensable foundation for APMS, Verano's RTAP integrated the company's diverse control system, business and support data, delivered it to control desk operators in real-time and provided a solid core for future application enhancements. Performux will serve the same function, though now on the more portable, scalable and secure Linux operating system.
"Having the existing Verano RTAP solution in place made the move to Performux a natural progression and migration, allowing us to avoid expensive re-engineering costs associated with other control systems," said Andrew Lichnowski, manager of the process control systems group at RWE Innogy. "We are confident that the reliability and performance of Verano's RTAP system will be mirrored in Performux."
Performux and APMS are now installed on operator workstations at RWE Innogy's power stations at Didcot, Aberthaw and Tilbury, which run a total of 10 power generation units. This transition to Linux will enable the company to lower capital and maintenance costs and simplify its hardware support.
"RWE Innogy's commitment to Performux is yet another indication of a general industry trend of Linux acceptance in mission-critical industrial operations," said Brian Ahern, president and CEO of Verano. "Utility industries, such as electric power, are challenged with maintaining the highest levels of operational standards with limited capital budgets. Verano's Performux platform is the mechanism by which customers can reduce plant automation operating and maintenance costs without compromising the most critical success factors of availability and reliability."
Performux Features
Performux is a fully featured and customizable SCADA and Plant Data Aggregation software platform offering secure, Internet-enabled management monitoring and control of critical industrial operations within utilities, transportation, energy and process industries. It is built on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the first Linux platform designed specifically for commercial users and certified by top enterprise software vendors. It enables companies to collect, manage, visualize and integrate real-time data from a variety of automated operations. Performux's sophisticated alarm and event management features provide business managers, knowledge workers and operations personnel up-to-the minute information on market drivers such as production outages, demand and usage data, facilitating optimal efficiency, better management and cost-efficient performance. Additional information on Performux is available on the Web at www.verano.com.
About RWE Innogy
RWE Innogy, Plc. a division of the RWE Group, is a leading integrated UK energy company. RWE Innogy operates and manages a portfolio of flexible, low-cost coal, oil and gas-fired power stations. Gas and electricity is supplied to domestic consumers and commercial and industrial users through the retail business npower. RWE Innogy also provides specialist services to other power plant owners and operators around the world, with expertise in improving power station reliability and efficiency and environmental management to deliver optimal commercial performance.
About Verano
Verano, Inc., the SCADA security company, is the only company that offers a full security life-cycle solution for the real-time SCADA and control environments. The company is a trusted supplier to more than 300 industrial enterprises in power generation, utilities, energy, transportation, chemicals and process manufacturing industries. These customers represent more than 3,000 global system installations.
A privately held company founded in 1996, Verano is headquartered in Mansfield, Massachusetts, with major operations in Calgary, Canada, Houston, Texas, and Wilmington, Delaware. Additional information about Verano is available on the Web at www.verano.com.
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Verano, Inc., the SCADA security company, is the only company that offers a full security life-cycle solution for the real-time SCADA and control environments. The company is a trusted supplier to more than 300 industrial enterprises in power generation, utilities, energy, transportation, chemicals and process manufacturing industries. These customers represent more than 3,000 global system installations.
A privately held company founded in 1996, Verano is headquartered in Mansfield, Massachusetts, with major operations in Calgary, Canada, Houston, Texas, and Wilmington, Delaware. Additional information about Verano is available on the Web at www.verano.com.
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Contacts
| Todd Nicholson | Meredith Robertson | |
| Industrial Defender, Inc. | SHIFT Communications | |
| +1 (508) 718-6705 | +1 (617) 779-1830 | |
| tnicholson@industrialdefender.com | mrobertson@shiftcomm.com |