GPU / FirstEnergy
Pennsylvania, USA

With 2.5 million electricity customers in three states and 4,500 employees, GPU Energy (now merged with FirstEnergy) is the largest SAP IS-U/CCS implementation in the USA. Its implementation project involved the total replacement of three separate customer information systems dating as far back as the 1960s, with the addition of extensive functionality to support deregulation.

Deregulation rules in Pennsylvania required GPU to “unbundle” its rates, showing all bill components on the customer statement. In addition, the company was required to calculate bills on behalf of third party service providers in a “Rate Ready Environment” and later to receive calculations from the service provider and perform billing on their behalf in a “Bill Ready Environment”. Moreover, GPU had to meet the varying needs of operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

TUI’s team of consultants worked with GPU Energy to implement the SAP IS-U/CCS solution, including the development of major components and enhancements, sub-system integration and data migration. The project also included specification of the interfaces between IS-U/CCS and GPU’s automated field service order system, meter reading management system, GIS system, and overflow call center.

The solution implemented in 1999 has enabled GPU Energy to operate three separate companies (Metropolitan Edison, Pennsylvania Electric and JCP&L) on one system, and has provided the company with the capability to provide billing services on behalf of more than 30 other companies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

After a successful go-live, GPU engaged TUI Consulting to provide on-going support and assistance with further developments and enhancements including investigating new solutions for fieldwork management, archiving and Internet developments. GPU Energy installed TUI Consulting’s complementary solution for Interval Data Management (CMM-IDM) in 2001, upgraded to the more powerful SAP version 4.6 in 2002. TUI consultants have also been engaged to advice of the expansion of SAP into FirstEnergy.