| Fortnightly

Tale of Two Grids

What a review of PUC cases tells us about the future of consumer technology and grid modernization.

There may be a more fundamental schism that raises fundamental questions about the role of the distribution utility and footprint of the natural monopoly.

Byline:

Cameron Brooks

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Federal Versus State Jurisdiction in the Electricity Business

Two back-to-back decisions by the Supreme Court in 2016 will fundamentally redefine the jurisdictional split.

If the Supreme Court holds to the principles and logic of its ruling in EPSA, it will restore states’ traditional central role in resource planning.

Byline:

Craig Roach and Vincent Musco

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Aggregation 2.0: Evolution of Customer Engagement with Retail Choice?

An innovative approach to targeted retail aggregation.

No state has had the same initial success with municipal aggregation as Illinois, where more than 650 local governments enrolled 70 percent of residential consumers into municipal aggregation contracts. The pathway forward in Illinois provides a model to help get programs off the ground in all retail choice states.

Byline:

Michael Strong and Mark Pruitt

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FPA § 203(a)(1)(B): A Deal is a Deal, No Matter How Small?

With apologies to Dr. Seuss.

There are questions whether FERC and industry resources are being expended on matters once considered, and arguably should continue to be considered, de minimis.

Byline:

Joel deJesus and Carmen Gentile

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A Five-Point Plan For The Next Wave Of Electricity Restructuring

The monopoly utility model was once expansive and revolutionary. Now, it is contracting and preservationist.

A plan for restructuring: Delivery service pricing reform; devolution of generation and re-allocating risk; stranded cost recovery; distributed resources neutrality; optimization of service offerings.

Byline:

Philip O’Connor, Wayne Olson, and Robert Bussa

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FERC Chasing the Uncatchable

Trying to fix mandatory capacity markets like trying to win whack-a-mole, Part I

FERC’s efforts to get capacity markets “right” have led to endless – and futile – tinkering. The cure proposed – making capacity auction markets mandatory – has unfortunately proved far worse than the disease.

Byline:

Delia Patterson and Harvey Reiter

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How the Environmental Movement Changed its Mind on Nuclear Power

The anti-growth, anti-people extremists who started the anti-nuclear movement were wrong.

If nuclear were subsidized at the same levels as solar and wind, or allowed to contribute to state RPS, nuclear would continue to be highly economical.

Byline:

Michael Shellenberger

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Nuclear Debate: Hansen is Wrong about Nuclear Power

Nuclear, a drain on our ability to deal with climate solutions, energy needs.

Dr. James Hansen, the renowned climate change scientist, has said that nuclear power is essential to combat climate change. We disagree. Nuclear energy is a boondoggle.

Byline:

Russell Lowes and Edward Mainland

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Response to Radford Re: EPSA Complaints at FERC on Ohio Contracts

A response to the ‘Following FERC’ column by Bruce Radford in our April 2016 issue.

The PUCO was not, and never will be, in a position to ensure terms of PPAs meet requirements of FPA.

Byline:

John E. Shelk

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Consumers Want What?

Rather than accept the rhetoric, let’s find out.

What’s missing is asking consumers to consider realistic tradeoffs between two characteristics of electricity rather than the desirability of a single characteristic in isolation.

Byline:

Steve Mitnick

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