Oct 19, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Hawaiian Electric Selects LoadSEER as Core Grid Modernization Application

Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN) today announced that Hawaiian Electric Company has selected Integral Analytics’ LoadSEER software application to provide foundational forecasting, planning and distributed energy resource (DER) intelligence in support of the utility’s Grid Modernization Strategy. Integral Analytics was acquired by Willdan in July 2017.

LoadSEER will be used across the organization for short- and long-term circuit-level planning; renewables, storage, efficiency, investment impacts, electric vehicles all impact forecasts for each island. The multi-year license agreement envisions a staged deployment, with Hawaiian Electric deployed on Oahu in early 2018, followed by Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric companies.

“Distribution planning and distributed energy resources are now interdependent functions requiring a software platform able to successfully deliver our modernization goals,” said Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president for planning and technology. “We believe that LoadSEER is now a foundational application for integrated grid planning.”

Hawaiian Electric’s “Modernizing Hawaii’s Grid for Our Customers” plan outlines a program and integrated grid planning process. The goal is to leverage technology and data-intensive services to ensure reliable service at the lowest cost. Hawaii has the nation’s most aggressive renewable energy goal of 100 percent by 2045.

“Hawaiian Electric is challenged with integrating more distributed energy resources than any U.S. utility,” said Kevin Kushman, President of Integral Analytics. “We’re thrilled that LoadSEER will serve as an intelligent backbone application for their comprehensive grid modernization efforts.”

As part of this plan, LoadSEER will integrate directly to multiple utility data sources and existing engineering and forecasting tools, delivering dynamically-updated, granular load profiles, value and impact analysis for solar, electric vehicle, demand response and other DER for up to 30 years. LoadSEER’s configurable user experience allows for live scenario analysis and risk-modeling leveraging cloud computing to evaluate thousands of grid impacts and create the most capital-efficient plan.

In deploying LoadSEER, Hawaiian Electric joins more than three dozen utilities across North America that use Integral Analytics software products, collectively serving more than 40 million customers.

About Willdan

Willdan provides professional consulting and technical services to utilities, public agencies and private industry throughout the United States. The Company's service offerings span a broad set of complementary disciplines that include energy efficiency and sustainability, engineering and planning, financial and economic consulting, and national preparedness. Willdan provides integrated technical solutions to extend the reach and resources of its clients, and provides all services through its subsidiaries specialized in each segment. For additional information, visit Willdan's website at www.willdan.com.

About Integral Analytics

Integral Analytics, a unit of Willdan Group, Inc., provides trusted software products that merge economics and engineering to deliver statistically-robust forecasting and valuation analytics through which utilities and distributed energy resource owners make optimized financial and engineering decisions. More information is available at: www.integralanalytics.com.

About Hawaiian Electric Company

Since 1891, Hawaiian Electric has powered the islands' development from a kingdom to a modern American state. Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light, serve the islands of Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii, home to 95 percent of Hawaii’s people. In a changing world, the Hawaiian Electric Companies are leading in adding renewable energy and developing energy solutions for customers to achieve a clean energy future for Hawaii.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that Willdan will not be able to expand its services or meet the needs of customers in markets in which it operates. It is important to note that Willdan's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, a slowdown in the local and regional economies of the states where Willdan conducts business and the loss of or inability to hire additional qualified professionals. Willdan's business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in Willdan's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 30, 2016 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Willdan cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan disclaims any obligation to, and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.