Patent ID: 8890505

Claim:
A method for a client device located at an electrical service point to control a flow of electric power from an electric power grid to the service point so as to provide operating reserve to the electric power grid, the service point including at least one power consuming device operable to consume electric power, at least one controllable device operable to control a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device, and a backup power subsystem operable to supply electric power to the at least one power consuming device when a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device is reduced below a threshold, the method comprising: receiving power control messages from a remote system control component, at least a first power control message instructing the client device to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device; and providing a first power control instruction to the at least one controllable device responsive to the first power control message, the first power control instruction instructing the at least one controllable device to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device, thereby causing activation of the backup power subsystem, wherein an amount of grid-supplied electric power saved as a result of disabling a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device provides operating reserve for the electric power grid based upon a power supply value (PSV) associated with each of the at least one power consuming device(s).