Become a PUF Member Organization

The Perils of Greenfield Gas Development

Sempra promised regulators they’d build a new utility, but Nova Scotia is still waiting.

A major gas discovery offshore Nova Scotia-3.5 trillion cf, based on conservative estimates-is generating healthy financial earnings for participating producers and pipelines. But residents and small businesses in Nova Scotia aren't seeing a molecule of gas flowing their way.
Byline: 

Mark Hand

Read Entire Article

Resource Planning: The Need for a New Approach

New market risks have called on utilities to evaluate an expanding array of new resource options—with antiquated tools to evaluate them.

The choices faced by utilities in meeting still-present demand obligations have exploded, while the capability needed to evaluate those choices has shrunk.
Byline: 

Jonathan A. Lesser Ph.D, Stephen L. Derby Ph.D., and William Clarke

Read Entire Article

The Rift Over Affiliate Conduct

Does FERC have the backbone for another jurisdictional turf war?

FERC's notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) on uniform standards of conduct for transmission providers seemed rather innocuous at the time of its release. However, FERC's prediction about the controversial nature of the bundled sales portion of the NOPR proved accurate.
Byline: 

Mark Hand

Read Entire Article

Waiting to Exhale

Courts Deliberate on the Fate of Order 2000: The transmission industry may have to wait even longer for a final decision on challenges to Order 2000 if FERC gets its way.

Though the D.C. Circuit Court could very well add to the delay in resolving some thorny issues of Order 2000, it appears that the court has essentially given the challengers a partial victory, even before a decision is rendered.
Byline: 

Jennifer Alvey

Read Entire Article

Who’s Minding The Grid?

Some argue that gas pipelines might substitute … but … nothing will do away with the need for more transmission.

Our nation’s transmission infrastructure is increasingly unable to meet new demands for power created by rapidly changing electricity markets. Although reliability protocols ensure against catastrophic failure, there is ample evidence today that the grid is too congested.
Byline: 

Thomas R. Kuhn

Read Entire Article

People (Jan 1, 2002)

El Paso Corp. announced that Britton White Jr. has retired as executive vice president and general counsel. He was appointed to this position after El Paso acquired Tenneco Energy in 1996. Peggy A. Heeg has been named as his replacement. Heeg previously served as senior vice president and deputy general counsel. She joined Tenneco Energy in 1990 and became vice president and associate general counsel for regulated pipelines for El Paso after the merger. El Paso also announced the retirement of David A. Arledge from its board of directors.

Read Entire Article

A Wrinkle in Time

Enron makes an exit; FERC cost-based rates return.

You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank. Then, you execute a debt-equity swap with an associated general offer, so you get all four cows back, with a tax-exemption for the fifth cow, of course.
Byline: 

Richard Stavros

Read Entire Article

Credit Risk Exposure

Will traders finally wake up to the danger?

The urgency passed with the heat wave. During the California crisis and defaults of 2001, credit risk rose to prominence again, only to be forgotten after the California markets cooled off.
Byline: 

Brett Humphreys and David Shimko

Read Entire Article

Making Markets Work: How ISO Rules Still Cause Problems

How obscured spot prices, unhedgeable basis differentials, unreliable and financially insecure clearing practices inhibit market liquidity.

To date there has been little clarity as to how the physical and financial markets would work together to eliminate the need for continued price regulation, as FERC has proposed.
Byline: 

Becky Kilbourne and Robert Maxant

Read Entire Article