Become a PUF Member Organization

Fortnightly Magazine - October 1 1997

Off Peak

More low-cost states seen joining the move toward electric restructuring.

Six months ago, those states with the highest electric prices appeared the furthest along on the path to electric industry restructuring. That is no longer the case.

Today, even those states that can boast of lower-than-average rates are exploring avenues toward more competition, as shown below. The table groups states into five tiers, by the level of activity to date. These activities include initiatives by legislatures, regulatory commissions, utilities and other parties.

Byline: 
Sally and Kristina Sepetys
Read Entire Article

The Rewards of Reliability

As one of the early voices in the "reliability debate," urging all of us not to lose sight of the importance of reliability of electric bulk power supply (see, for example, my article in the Oct. 11, 1990, issue of PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY, on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Northeast Blackout of 1965), I applaud the FORTNIGHTLY for sponsoring a forum on "Reliability, Transmission and Competition" in its June 1, 1997 issue (p. 45). By doing so, your magazine has provided an important public service.

Byline: 
Gregory S. Vassell
Read Entire Article

Frontlines

I've been learning about venture capital funds for electric utilities. The lesson has run the gamut: from competition to cannibalization; from portfolios to the laws of thermodynamics; from the next new thing to the renaissance of a 19th-century technology.

Some might ask: Isn't venture capital just like gambling? Not so, say execs from two utilities now getting their feet wet in a venture fund. All the same, this story will take us to Atlantic City casinos before it's done.

Byline: 
Bruce W. Radford
Read Entire Article
V