Become a PUF Member Organization

Fortnightly Magazine - March 15 1997

PG&E Must Honor Multi-year Rate Plan

The California Public Utilities Commission has rejected a request by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., for a waiver from scheduled rate reductions mandated under a three-year base-rate plan approved in December 1995.

The court said the company has shown no "extraordinary circumstances" to support breaking the three-year rate contract.

The utility had claimed it would incur greater-than-expected maintenance and service expenses in areas such as tree trimming, meter reading and meter repair.

Byline: 
Phillip S. Cross
Read Entire Article

The Next Convergence: Energy, Telecommunications and Internal Infrastructure

s The technology is digital.

s The medium is cyberspace. The product is a strategic system for billing, collection and customer services (BCCS) that integrates knowledge and choice through an automated customer interface.

The impending obliteration of the business boundaries between the gas, electric and other energy industries will launch a series of convergent waves of change. Executives, regulators, legislators, investors and, naturally, consumers must ride this wave over the next 10 to 15 years.

Byline: 
Vinod K. Dar
Read Entire Article

Perspective

As I leave the electric utility business after 28 years as an engineer and analyst I would like to relate some thoughts on what makes this business special, even as it gives way to competition. Let me offer some advice to "local" electric utilities on how to keep at bay the "Mega Marketers" and "PanElectrics" of the world, who will soon appear to romance away their customers. Keep your "home-field advantage." Capitalize on your traditional strengths and enduring relationships. These bonds represent a wealth of goodwill earned over years of working with customer communities.

Byline: 
Sidney L. Spencer
Read Entire Article

Off Peak

N.H. Discovers What Residents Really Want (em And Don't

While electricity consumers are interested in lower bills, they're unlikely to change suppliers even though they could save money.

That's one of the seemingly conflicting results of a survey of 400 people who participated in the New Hampshire electric pilot program. The program, started in late May 1996, targeted 17,000 customers, and still is under way.

Read Entire Article
V