Network

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 December 2003.

New opportunities at ScottishPower, Chesapeake Utilities, NRG Energy Inc., and others.

People

People for November 15, 2003

New opportunities at Duke Energy, the Department of Energy, Progress Energy, and others.

Customers Interrupted

Utilities that are short on capacity and operate in a stable regulatory environment may be able to extract value from interruptible rates.

The low prices in today’s wholesale electric markets have resulted in a reduction in the value of the retail market-based rates for both the utility and the customer, but utilities that are short on capacity and operate in a stable regulatory environment may be able to extract some value from interruptible rates.

Electric Gridlock: A National Solution

FERC should consider a two-part tariff to boost transmission investment.

The existing transmission system was built to connect a utility’s power plants to its customers. It was never designed for getting power from any generator to any customer in a competitive generation market.

Gas Crisis Forum: Prices Pointing Skyward!

Gas prices are likely to remain high in the near term.

The prospects aren’t good for a dip in natural gas prices. An overview of Canadian imports, Mexican exports, LNG, the Rockies, and the overall demand for gas points to higher prices for gas in the near term.

Technology Corridor

Virtual reality comes of age in the power industry.


Virtual reality comes of age in the power industry.

Technological breakthroughs in power generation, pollution control, waste management, renewable resource applications, and many similar areas are at the forefront of advances in developing, managing, and delivering public utility products. However, technology that is more often associated with computer games and Hollywood blockbusters is taking hold in the industry, and its impact may well be as great as any of the more well known technologies.

California Experiment: Dynamic Pricing for the Mass Market

Will the state launch a full-scale rollout of dynamic tariffs?


Will the state launch a full-scale rollout of dynamic tariffs?

A pilot program in California is putting dynamic pricing and advanced metering to the test.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a Statewide Pricing Pilot (SPP) in March,1 at a cost of approximately $10 million, including metering, project planning, management, evaluation, and concurrent market research on non-pilot participants focused on customer preferences for rate options.2

The SPP has the following objectives:

Technology Corridor

Virtual reality comes of age in the power industry.


Virtual reality comes of age in the power industry.

Technological breakthroughs in power generation, pollution control, waste management, renewable resource applications, and many similar areas are at the forefront of advances in developing, managing, and delivering public utility products. However, technology that is more often associated with computer games and Hollywood blockbusters is taking hold in the industry, and its impact may well be as great as any of the more well known technologies.

California Experiment: Dynamic Pricing for the Mass Market

Will the state launch a full-scale rollout of dynamic tariffs?


Will the state launch a full-scale rollout of dynamic tariffs?

A pilot program in California is putting dynamic pricing and advanced metering to the test.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a Statewide Pricing Pilot (SPP) in March,1 at a cost of approximately $10 million, including metering, project planning, management, evaluation, and concurrent market research on non-pilot participants focused on customer preferences for rate options.2

The SPP has the following objectives: