Platte River Power Authority, the community-owned, wholesale power provider for Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, has selected EnergyHub to help design and deploy a virtual power plant, Platte River said on June 17.
Platte River has long planned for a VPP as part of its strategy to provide dispatchable, or on demand, power to support its increasingly renewable energy portfolio, it noted.
“We’re pleased to formalize the partnership between Platte River and EnergyHub as we continue to make progress on the VPP,” says Paul Davis, director of distributed energy resources for Platte River. “Their experience with developing accessible and impactful customer programs aligns well with the programs that have served our owner communities for over 20 years.”
EnergyHub is a provider of clean energy software and services that unlock the full potential of distributed energy resources (DERs) for utilities and their customers. With the EnergyHub platform, utilities can enroll and manage DERs like thermostats, EVs, and batteries in VPPs that deliver grid flexibility and reliability.
"Platte River has built deep, decades-long trust with the communities it serves, and that's the ideal foundation for a successful VPP,” said Kelley Coats, senior director, client services at EnergyHub. “We're proud to bring EnergyHub's platform to Platte River through Efficiency Works, giving customers in Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland simple, meaningful ways to support a cleaner grid while keeping comfort and convenience front and center."
A VPP isn’t a physical power plant, but rather a system that links many small, customer owned devices so they can work together as a flexible energy resource, Platte River noted.
"While individual adjustments may be small – such as shifting when a device runs or adjusting a thermostat by a degree or two – the combined effect across thousands of homes and businesses helps manage costs for consumers and for the utility," it said.
While Platte River and EnergyHub signed a formal agreement earlier this month, the teams – along with staff from the owner communities – have been working together since last year to develop the first VPP programs.
“A massive amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to develop effective programs for customers,” says Bryce Brady, manager of distributed energy solutions for Platte River.
“Collaboration has been key to expand the Efficiency WorksTM program and services, and we appreciate the engagement by owner community program staff with our team to approach these programs thoughtfully and intentionally to produce the best outcome.”
The first VPP program, planned for late summer 2026, will focus on smart thermostats, with an EV charge management program to follow later in 2026. These offerings will be available through Efficiency Works, the long-standing collaboration between Platte River and the owner communities, that helps residential and commercial customers use energy effectively through assessments, programs and product rebates.
Customer programs are only one part of the VPP environment, Platte River said.
EnergyHub is also providing a system called an “edge” distributed energy resource management system (or “edge DERMS”). The edge DERMS is a software system that tracks energy demand across thermostats, EVs, and batteries, enables customers’ devices to respond to utility signals, and connects behind-the-meter DERs to the wider grid and energy markets.
In addition, utilities will increasingly rely on advanced software known as a “grid DERMS” to help them manage increasingly complex interactions between the customers’ resources and the local electric distribution system. "With these tools, grid operators can actively signal customers to shift energy use, taking advantage of times when renewable power is abundant and conserving when demand rises and supply tightens," Platte River noted.
As Platte River and the owner communities continue building the systems that will support the full VPP, customers will begin to see new opportunities to participate through Efficiency Works, it said.
These programs will allow customers simple ways to support the grid, make the most of renewable energy and manage their electricity use.
Efficiency Works is a regional utility collaboration that provides guidance and resources to enable customers to use energy more effectively, work toward a noncarbon energy future and build strong, resilient communities for customers served by Platte River Power Authority and its owner communities.
