Nevada Delays Merger
The Nevada Public Service Commission (PSC) has postponed further hearings indefinitely on the proposed merger between Sierra Pacific Power Co. (SPP) and Washington Water Power Co. (WWP).
Fortnightly Magazine - September 15 1995
Maine PUC Hikes Electric Price Cap
The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved a 2.43 percent rate increase in the price cap for Central Maine Power Co. (CMP). It also issued findings governing the flow-through to ratepayers of savings earned by restructuring contracts with qualifying cogeneration facilities (QFs).
Byline:
Phillip S. Cross
SDG&E Touts PoolCo, Opposes Forced Spinoffs
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has filed comments to support the "majority proposal" by the California Public Utilities Commission on deregulating the electric utility industry, which calls for formation of a wholesale power pool.
SDG&E noted that while a key element of the proposal involved creating an independent system operator, the company would go further and set up a regional transmission company to own the grid.
Byline:
Lori A. Burkhart
Virginia OKs Pilit for Onsite Generation
The Virginia State Corporation Commission has approved a new pilot program for a "Standby Generation Control System" proposed by Virginia Electric and Power Co. The system would allow the utility to dispatch customer-owned generators at periods of system peak demand.
Byline:
Phillip S. Cross
TURN's Krause Lobbies for PUC Job
Audrie Krause,
executive director of Toward Utility Rate Normalization (TURN), a consumer advocacy group, has asked California Gov. Pete Wilson for the vacant seat on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
Byline:
Lori A. Burkhart
Gas LDC Loses Pipeline Bid
The North Carolina Utilities Commission (UC)has granted authority to Frontier Utilities of North Carolina, Inc., to construct and operate a new natural gas pipeline and distribution system to provide service to four counties in the state.
Byline:
Phillip S. Cross
Perspective
Does it make good business sense to offer a service that brings in considerable revenue but virtually no profit?
In the past, special circumstances explained why local distribution companies (LDCs) sold natural gas to customers without earning a profit. But circumstances have changed.
Byline:
Steven R. Weiss
PUC Again Refuses to Arbitrate Labor Dispute
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has once again turned back an attempt by the Communications Workers of America to invoke state utility regulation to solve labor complaints against Pacific Bell.The union had complained that PacBell's use of lower-paid technicians to perform duties allegedly reserved for higher-paid contract classifications violated the state's public utility code.
Byline:
Phillip S. Cross
FERC Flipflops on Great Lakes Case
Does it make good business sense to offer a service that brings in considerable revenue but virtually no profit?
In the past, special circumstances explained why local distribution companies (LDCs) sold natural gas to customers without earning a profit. But circumstances have changed.
Byline:
Steven R. Weiss
Off Peak
Managed:
San Diego Gas & Electric Co. http://www.sdge.com
Meet 14 members of the "management team" and count how long each has served. (Learn their ages.)Lite:
Green Mountain Power Corp. http://www.gmpvt.com
"Vermont has some 6,900 farms, with an average size of 89 hectares (219 acres).