Our 2025 Sustainability Report is here! Dive in.
September 15, 2025 •Lloyd Kass
The U.S. electric grid is once again at a crossroads. Utilities and policymakers face the dual challenge of rapid load growth and rising consumer costs. Headlines capture the urgency: “The AI Explosion Means Millions are Paying More for Electricity” and “PJM capacity prices set another record with 22% jump.”
Demand side management (DSM) has long been one of the most effective ways to ease these pressures. For decades, DSM investments have lowered customer bills, held down infrastructure costs, and helped flatten demand growth. Without DSM, U.S. electricity consumption would be far higher than it is today.
But DSM can only deliver on its promise if the savings are accurate, verifiable, and trusted.
DSM’s Promise Hinges on Accuracy
Potential studies consistently show that DSM programs can scale quickly, but too often, evaluation data lacks the clarity regulators and grid planners need. Did the savings materialize? When and where did they occur?
This is where Franklin Energy takes a different approach. Our meter-based savings programs—including pay-for-performance and normalized metered energy consumption (NMEC)—tie incentives directly to real-world usage data. Savings aren’t estimated; they show up on the meter.
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That accuracy is backed by engineering depth:
- 90+ energy engineers nationwide, 40% of whom are professional engineers (PE)
- Leadership with engineering backgrounds, ensuring rigor from the CEO down
- Decades of program implementation experience that aligns measurement with real-world outcomes
The result: DSM investments that hold up to regulatory scrutiny and build confidence with utilities, policymakers, and customers alike.
Trust in Data and Technology
Accuracy doesn’t stop at the meter. It extends to how results are tracked, reported, and safeguarded. Franklin Energy maintains a defense-in-depth cybersecurity strategy validated by:
- Top scores in SOC 1 and SOC 2 audits
- #1 ranking in our peer group by BitSight
- 2025 Fortress Cybersecurity Award for AI-enabled system protection
For clients, this means confidence that every data point—from customer usage to program results—is secure, tamper-resistant, and transparent.
Proven Results at Scale
Franklin Energy’s experience spans more than 30 years and 500+ active programs across the country. In the last year, we delivered:
- 2 billion kWh saved
- 1 billion therms reduced
- 5 GW of demand response capacity curtailed
- 250,000+ devices installed or serviced
Those numbers aren’t projections. They represent real, measurable outcomes that are regulator-ready. It’s why our client loyalty scores climb double digits year-over-year and sit firmly in the excellent range.
DSM at a Critical Moment
The challenges of load growth and affordability demand urgent solutions. New generation and transmission projects take years; DSM can scale today. But the path forward depends on more than investment—it depends on trust.
Franklin Energy delivers DSM that is accurate, verifiable, and secure. With meter-based savings, unmatched engineering expertise, and audited technology systems, we ensure DSM delivers low-risk results utilities can count on.
Because in today’s energy landscape, savings don’t just need to be promised, they need to be proven.
