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PJM/Midwest Market: Two Rival Groups Battle Over Grid Pricing

Should transmission owners get paid extra for distance and voltage?

While the Midwest now appears set on competitive bidding for the electricity commodity, taking from PJM such tried-and-true elements as locational marginal pricing, financial transmission rights, and a day-ahead market with a security-constrained dispatch, the region remains split over the pricing of transmission.
Byline: 

Bruce Radford

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People (December 2004)

Lawrence E. De Simone joined Northeast Utilities as president of subsidiary Northeast Utilities Enterprises Inc. Kent McCargar, vice president and CFO at DTE Energy Services, was named president of the company. Gary Stephenson has joined DPL Inc. as vice president, commercial operations. And others...
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The AGs' Global Warming Suits: Regulation by Litigation

A recent lawsuit filed by eight state attorneys general will take the industry to the place where bad policy meets with bad economics.

A recent lawsuit filed by eight state attorneys general alleges that various coal-fired generating plants are harming the states' residents because of the plants' carbon dioxide emissions. From an economic and regulatory standpoint, it's difficult to see how this lawsuit, or litigation in general, can be viewed as a prudent approach to environmental mitigation.
Byline: 

Jonathan A. Lesser

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People

People for August 2004.

Positions filled at FERC, Colorado PUC, CMS Energy, and others.
Byline: 

PUF

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Business & Money: The Back-to-Basics Valuation Squeeze

An analysis of the strategic implications of the re-basing of power and utility industry valuations.

Many utilities are again focusing on perhaps the most viable, broad-based and credible growth strategy: mergers and acquisitions. Combined with supportive regulatory policies, the derived consolidation values of scale, cost-savings and synergies can be leveraged to benefit the public interest as well. Considerations of shareholder value and public policy require it.
Byline: 

Ian Connor

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Envision the Utility of Tomorrow

How will the industry change in the future?

Scale, synergies, and automation will transform tomorrow’s utilities, as will deregulation. But new management strategies and new technology also will play a part.
Byline: 

Keith Mueller

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The Fight for Sustainability

Investors are asking utilities questions about environmental and social risks. Answers can be a challenge.

Sustainability reporting may produce benefits that come full circle-satisfying the demands of shareholders, improving the company's performance on environmental and social factors, and ultimately increasing value for investors.
Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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Back to the Ratebase

Utilities are absorbing distressed IPPs, and raising alarm bells in the process.

In 2003, just over 1.4 GW of unregulated generating capacity was converted into rate-based assets. At least another 5.6 GW will be converted soon. What supply procurement practices are appropriate in today’s power market?
Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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Climate Change: The Heat Is On

From reporting to trading, utilities try to meet new expectations.

Implementing a strategy on climate change is a new sign of corporate responsibility, and utilities are responding in a variety of ways.
Byline: 

Douglas W. Smith and Kyle W. Danish

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The Utility Sector: A Wall Street Takeover?

Financial players bring credit depth to energy markets, but will they play by the rules?

The center of gravity for energy marketing and trading is moving from Houston to Wall Street. Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s testing the waters?
Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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