LONDON, March 17 /PRNewswire/ --

- New Slovenian Client Expands Ventyx Leadership in Global Nuclear Market

Ventyx(R), the world's largest private software provider to the energy and utility industry, today announced that Nuklearna elektrarna Krsko d.o.o. (NEK) has selected the Ventyx Shift Operations Management System (eSOMS) software solution to enhance the efficiency, productivity and safety of the utility's operation and maintenance activities at its Krsko Nuclear Power Plant. The new license with NEK marks the continuing expansion of Ventyx's customer base in the nuclear industry, where the company owns unparalleled market share and deep domain expertise unmatched in the enterprise software market.

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NEK is among the top 25 percent of operational nuclear power plants in the world in terms of nuclear safety and stability criteria standards. The Krsko plant generates more than 5 billion kWh of electrical energy per year, which represents approximately 40 percent of the total electricity produced in Slovenia. Additionally, as a reliable source of active and reactive power, it is an important supporting point of the electricity supply system as part of the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE)-the association of transmission system operators in continental Europe.

In terms of nuclear safety, operational stability and business performance, our aim is that NEK will be classified among the best functioning nuclear power plants in the world, said Franc Skaler, Project Lead at NEK. In order to meet these objectives, we needed to upgrade our operational capabilities with an automated plant operations and maintenance system. We first tried to develop our own solution internally. But, we soon discovered that we could achieve much greater value by installing the Ventyx eSOMS system.

In its continuing commitment to nuclear leadership, NEK have set the following strategic objectives:

- Safe and stable operation in the top 25 percent of nuclear power plants operating around the world and in accordance with World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) performance indicators - Competitiveness of the electricity produced on the open market, with an average annual production of 5100 GWh, an 18-month fuel cycle, outages shorter than 28 days and cost effectiveness - Social acceptability of nuclear power based on safe, environmentally clean and responsible operation, as well as on a highly motivated and committed staff/workforce

By implementing the mission-critical plant operations management application eSOMS, NEK can better ensure the safe, efficient and reliable operation and maintenance of their facility assets. The plant will obtain benefits in the areas of improved equipment status reporting, electronic logging and operator rounds, as well as improved communication and information sharing via a proven mobile platform for plant workers. In the eSOMS product, NEK recognized that the majority of features were compatible with features they were prepared to develop on their own. Discovering the eSOMS product on the market, which can be easily adjusted to their established processes, they accepted the solution as ready for use. During the second half of 2009, NEK will achieve additional return on their investment by implementing the solution's tagout/lockout and configuration controls modules, further improving efficiency and safety.

We are grateful that NEK have recognized the superior capabilities of our eSOMS software, said Ventyx VP Richard Jones. In addition, we are also pleased that NEK recognized the proven expertise of our professional services staff who will work closely with the utility's engineers and leadership team to ensure the eSOMS implementation meets the utility's precise specifications. Ventyx is proud to team with an industry leader like NEK to help them continue to be one of the world's leading nuclear providers.

Setting the Standard in Plant Operations Solutions

eSOMS is a mission-critical plant operations management solution which helps clients ensure the safe, efficient and reliable operation and maintenance of their facility assets. eSOMS offers highly complementary features to Ventyx Asset Suite in the areas of tagout/lockout, equipment status reporting, electronic logging and operator rounds, as well as a proven mobile platform for plant workers. Managing compliance with regulatory mandates is made easy using eSOMS's scheduling and reporting capabilities.

For more information on eSOMS, visit our Website at http://www1.ventyx.com/esoms/overview.asp. And, to review Ventyx's full complement of offerings for the nuclear industry, visit our Website at http://www1.ventyx.com/solutions/nuclear-power.asp.

About NEK

NEK has been in commercial operation for more than 20 years. In this time it has met basic expectations and objectives with regard to safety and stability of operation, competitiveness in comparison to other sources of electricity and public acceptability. Today NEK belongs among the top 25 percent of operational nuclear power plants in the world in terms of nuclear safety and stability criteria standards.

About Ventyx

Ventyx is a leading business solutions provider, delivering asset management, mobile workforce management, energy portfolio management, and customer care solutions to more than 1,250 energy, utility and communications customers, as well as to asset-intensive customers in selected commercial markets. Ventyx delivers best-of-breed business solutions that maximize operational and financial performance, backed by the industry's deepest available industry-specific domain expertise. For more information, visit our Website at www.ventyx.com.

Ventyx is a registered trademark of Ventyx Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Ventyx Corporate Communications, Sarah Anstee, +44-(0)-1483-794155, sarah.anstee@ventyx.com; Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080318/CLTU015LOGO