Integrated upgradable information systems and local electricity suppliers

The Electricity Authority of the Vienne Departement and that of the Deux-Sevres Departement are both medium-size suppliers serving 110000 and 120000 customers, with 300 and 350 staff respectively. From a price regulation policy (for both purchases and sales) and a situation of monopoly in their area, those suppliers have to open to competition (eligible consumers in their area) and face a pressure on prices resulting inevitably in lower margins unless productivity savings are achieved. Furthermore, they have now to handle separately, on an accounting level, production, supply (network operator) and marketing (sales of kWh) activities. New high performance management information systems are required. Both Authorities chose to base their new information system on a BaaN ERP because the limited number of interfaces, as compared with some business solutions, may slightly reduce the global system integration costs. The main features of the systems are outlined in this paper