U.S. companies' international strategies turn sour, as Europe faces a future with an oligopoly of power companies.
While the European Union is pushing to give all industrial and commercial customers electric choice by 2004, giant incumbent European utilities are increasingly dominating power markets across Europe and the United Kingdom.
By Lori A. Burkhart
Gas-fired power is king today, but fuel diversity needs and new technologies may open the door for nuclear and coal.
The nation's demand for electricity is expected to grow by over 40 percent in the next 20 years, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Meeting that need will require a great number of new generating plants. The burning question is, what will fuel these new plants?
FERC finds the states have teeth, too.
An analysis of the business opportunities behind coal and nuclear plant expansion.
Electric power industry trade publications and the popular media have noted a growing interest in the rebirth of both nuclear power and coal-fired generation. These technologies would be a supplement to, or an alternative to, the natural gas fired generation that appears to be the predominant fuel and technology for new power generation facilities in the coming decade.
Gas Price Prudence: From Hedge-and-Hope to Best Practice
Utilities and regulators should follow the same ideas that govern risk management at the largest of commodity trading houses.
The July 5, 2001 issue of offered an update on what utilities and regulators are doing in the area of commodity price hedging for natural gas.
The headline read, "Dominion East Ohio Sales Customers Will Pay 29% Less in Gas Costs under PUCO-Led Encouragement of Hedging Plan...."
1. The original consortium of 15 energy companies, announced March 29, 2000, included American Electric Power, Cinergy, consolidated Edison Inc., Duke Enbergy, Edison International, Entergy, Exelon, firstEnergy Corp., FPL Group, PG&E Corp., Public Service Enterprise Group, Reliant Energy, Sempra Energy, Southern Company, and TXU.
NYPA's CEO clarifies details of the Power Authority's auction of nukes to Entergy.
Several comments are in order concerning the analysis by Dan Donoghue and David Haarmeyer of the pending sale of the New York Power Authority's Indian Point 3 and James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plants to Entergy Corp. (, June 15, 2000, p. 90).
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