PUCs could face rate shock if feds push plans for an RTO signup bonus.

State PUCs will surely weigh in on the latest move by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to work its will on the nation's electric transmission grid. In this case, the item in question concerns a policy statement proposed by FERC that would reward electric utilities for investing in new transmission upgrades and-more importantly-for joining up with a regional transmission organization (RTO).

Some big utilities are looking to get bigger.

When Morgan Stanley last October asked 30 of the top 50 utility chiefs whether they expected to merge with another company in the next two years, two-thirds of them said they did. Asked whether they expected to merge within the next five years, the utility chiefs unanimously said yes.

The next big trend is to make network resources more interchangeable and less expensive.

Information technology (IT) infrastructure should be more like the infrastructure that generates electricity, IT consultants say, and at least one Texas utility is listening.

Forrester Research labels its vision for IT infrastructure "Organic IT" and promises that this new kind of infrastructure will save companies big bucks in the long run, without requiring a rip and replace of existing hardware and software.

The Bagel Politic

Can cream cheese bring together California lawmakers, or will the state's power crisis spread?

At Fortnightly, we care about what you care about. And we know you care about solving the problems that bedevil the California power market. So we sent a crack investigative team to discover what the stumbling blocks to creating a vibrant, liquid, manipulation-free California market really are.

How state opposition cowed the feds and turned a powerful rule into just a set of talking points.

A funny thing happened on the way to a standard market design (SMD). What began as a full-fledged rulemaking-with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) giving instructions and imposing deadlines on the electric utility industry-now has degenerated into little more than a set of talking points.

Talk about cold feet.

Fossil Fuel Politics

 

 

How the New Congress Might Change the Mix

The 108th Congress will very likely resurrect the comprehensive energy and environmental legislation introduced in the 107th Congress, again raising questions about the effectiveness of market intervention in the area of electric generation.

New Hires:

DPL Inc. named James V. Mahoney president of DPL Energy LLC. Mahoney has been with EarthFirst Technologies since 2001.

The board of directors of Piedmont Natural Gas elected Kim R. Cocklin senior vice president and general counsel. Cocklin's previous experience includes time as senior vice president at Williams Gas Pipeline and senior vice president and general counsel at Texas Gas Transmission Corp.

Western Markets: An Investor's Minefield

 

State PUCs Show Split Personality

 

 

While electric restructuring pauses, telecom pushes forward.

No matter which way they turn, state public utility commissions (PUCs) have their work cut out for them.

While federal policy-makers push ahead with wholesale market reforms in the electricity sector, many at the state level now call for a cautious approach to protect consumers.