Learning from Sandy
Improving storm damage assessments at electric utilities.
Utilizing new technologies, utilities can realize dramatic improvements to damage assessment and storm restoration processes.
SAIDI
The Case for Smart Grid
Funding a new infrastructure in an age of uncertainty.
The world’s electricity supply will need to triple by 2050 to keep up with demand. What follows is a look at where we are, and what may lie ahead, with a focus on the the scope of the problem, regulatory reform initiatives now underway, and how to go about rethinking the business models that might evolve.
A Merger Hits Home
Some thoughts on Exelon’s takeover of Pepco.
“Mr. Rigby says there’s no conflict between shareholders wanting the highest price and ratepayers wanting the best service … His view is illogical.” – Scott Hempling, attorney, in opposition.
Germany's Energiewende
Lessons learned for U.S. utilities – drawn from first-person fact-finding.
Policy experts travel to the continent to get a first-hand view on the lessons the U.S. utilities should take away from Germany’s rush to renewables.
Modeling Storm Outages
New tools for enhancing utility preparedness and response.
Sandy and other major storms have raised the bar for outage management. New modeling systems help utilities predict effects and plan their response.
Smart Grid Dilemma
Concerned stakeholders seek an equitable cost-benefit ratio for all ratepayers.
Fairness in paying for grid modernization is an essential element for successful smart grid projects.
Sandy and the Smart Grid
Disaster shows the need for grid modernization. Is technology up to the challenge?
With a road map for planning, utilities can realign organizations, integrate systems, and satisfy stakeholders. The destination: a more resilient grid
Rates, Reliability, and Region
Customer satisfaction and electric utilities.
The conventional wisdom about utility spending is correct, but key factors affecting customer satisfaction aren't obvious—and are tricky to control.
Maximizing Customer Benefits
Performance measurement and action steps for smart grid investments.
Regulators and customers are holding utilities’ feet to the fire, when it comes to investing in advanced metering and smart grid systems—and rightly so. Making the most of investments requires a systematic approach to establishing standards and monitoring performance. But it also requires policy frameworks and cost recovery regimes that provide the right incentives.
Killer App
Distribution management at the smart grid frontier.
The hype over smart grid has become focused on the idea of “advanced distribution management systems” (ADMS). But so far, few utilities have implemented ADMS beyond pilots and incremental tests. Fortnightly analyzes the technology trends and profiles examples of true ADMS in action.