Cinergy

Commission Watch: Grid Battle Is Joined

FERC's AEP ruling begs the question: Can the feds bypass states that block transmission reform?

A recent ruling puts the question squarely on the table: Can FERC overturn orders issued by the state public utility commissions that otherwise would stand in the way of its vision of regional transmission organizations with a standard market design?

People

People for January 2004.

Positions filled at Southern Co., Southwest Power Pool, Avista Corp., and others.

Energy Trading: What's Your Position?

Obtaining a position measurement in energy markets has become more complex and has increased financial risks for integrated utilities.

"What's your position?" The answer to that simple question in today's energy markets is anything but simple. In fact, answering this question may be the single most difficult challenge faced by a fully integrated energy firm in its efforts to manage risk.

Combined-Cycle Profitability as a Market Barometer

A hypothetical look at moneymakers across regions.

Given the high degree of ongoing electric market uncertainty, it can be challenging to get a reading on the current and future health of power markets. One way to gauge the health of the generation segment of the electric sector is to simulate the financial performance of a new gas-fired, combined-cycle unit. To perform this analysis, we start with the cost and performance characteristics of a new combined-cycle unit.

The CIO Forum: Budgets Byte Back

Chief tech officers discuss how they are using their data to beat the competitition.

CIOs from a traditional utility, a merchant generator, and an independent system operator tell how they stretched every penny to make their companies technologically savvy during tough economic times. They say data, not applications, ruled the roost this year—and will in the future

Business & Money

Sizable gains return to the market.

Business & Money

Sizable gains return to the market.

 

With an average appreciation of 18.9 percent since we last ran SNL Financial's dividend data , SNL's safe dividend picks appeared to do well for any market. However, like the fine golden years of the late '90s for all things technology, recent months have returned sizable gains to investors of energy stocks-not what one would expect from slow growth, dividend-paying electric and gas utilities that make up the majority of the SNL Energy universe.

People

New Positions:

New Positions:

Allegheny Energy named David C. Benson its interim executive vice president, assuming the responsibilities of Allegheny Energy Supply President Michael P. Morrell, who will make use of the company's early retirement option program. Benson has been with Allegheny Energy for 25 years.

Cleco Corp. appointed Stephen M. Carter vice president of regulated generation. Carter earlier served as superintendent of Dolet Hills power station.

Frontlines

NRG's bankruptcy is challenging creditors' resolve to back merchants until power prices rebound.

NRG's bankruptcy is challenging creditors' resolve to back merchants until power prices rebound.

A common complaint in the last few months by would-be buyers of merchant assets has been that all the choice power plants have been pledged as collateral to commercial banks in order to stave off bankruptcy. That's why not many transactions have taken place, merchant asset buyers say, as everything else in the market isn't worth the price being offered.

Technology Corridor

The instant messaging wildfire spreads to the utilities industry.


The instant messaging wildfire spreads to the utilities industry.

Utilities are starting to take a good, hard look at incorporating instant messaging (IM) into their business. (Never heard of IM? Check out our primer in the sidebar.)

Frontlines

Merchant plants snub the market, using native load to create their own private rate base.