Is the "pathway concept" the answer to Virginia's qualms?

PJM, at its annual meeting, announced a plan to integrate ComEd into PJM by Oct. 1, pursuant to FERC's April 1 order, despite Virginia's saying no to membership by American Electric Power (AEP) or any other jurisdictional utility, according to PJM spokesman Ray Dotter. PJM introduced the "pathway concept" as a way to work around that state while the jurisdictional issues are being fought at FERC. (May 16 was the deadline for filings at FERC on whether the integration can proceed.)

To the Editor:

I read your May 15, 2003, "Frontlines" column ("Grid Glut?") and have to respectfully take issue with a couple of your thoughts.

New Hires:

Progress Energy shareholders re-elected Edwin B. Borden, James E. Bostic Jr., David L. Burner, Richard L. Daugherty, and Richard A. Nunis as Class II directors of the company. They will serve three-year terms.

Maryland Gov. Robert L. Erlich Jr. named state delegate Kenneth D. Schisler chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission. Schisler succeeds Catherine I. Riley.

Will the state launch a full-scale rollout of dynamic tariffs?

A pilot program in California is putting dynamic pricing and advanced metering to the test.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a Statewide Pricing Pilot (SPP) in March,¹ at a cost of approximately $10 million, including metering, project planning, management, evaluation, and concurrent market research on non-pilot participants focused on customer preferences for rate options.²

The SPP has the following objectives:

How do customers react to hourly prices?

As California embarks on a Statewide Pricing Pilot (SPP) for residential and small commercial (200 kW) customers, policymakers and participants in the proceedings are asking several questions:

School plays teach efficiency, creativity, and self-confidence.

Bumbling Melvin Markham is a hero. He just doesn't know it. As the central character in an innovative school play, Melvin learns that everyone can save energy and the environment.

Tidal energy technology improves, but is it enough?

Could ocean energy be the next big thing in renewables?

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors in early May approved a pilot project, estimated at $2 million, to test technology that produces electricity from the tides in the San Francisco Bay.

The city hopes to produce 1 MW with the project and add it to the San Francisco grid by Jan. 1, 2006.