regulatory

Solar Shines As Regulatory Battles Abound

A tough legal and financial terrain is confronting producers, utilities and regulators.

State commissions are challenged to find the sweet spot whereby utilities can afford to maintain their systems and homeowners are motivated to go green.

Distributed Generation

Disruptive Technology or Regulatory Challenge?

Distributed generation marks a set of emerging technologies requiring creativity from utilities and regulators in introducing laws, policies, and economic incentives – to ensure that revenue streams are captured and that cost recovery reflects market reality.

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.

People (February 2015)

Xcel Energy named Christopher Clark president of Northern States Power Co. Minnesota; Bill Way became president of Southwestern Energy; FirstEnergy elected Anthony J. Alexander executive chairman; The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Colette Honorable to join FERC; Virginia Lodge and Ronald Walter became members of the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors; Changes at Mississippi Power; AES Corp., and CMS Energy. And others...

From Coal to Gas

Regulatory and environmental challenges for power plant conversions under the EPA’s Clean Power Plan.

Converting a power plant from coal to natural gas triggers a host of environmental challenges and regulatory issues. Operators could be trading one set of regulatory obligations, liabilities, and costs for another, equally problematic, set of liabilities and costs.

Enforcement Times Two

FERC and CFTC begin sharing information to target market manipulation in the energy industry.

Closer coordination between FERC and CFTC (and perhaps also with DOJ) will increase enforcement risk for energy industry traders.

Making Peace With Solar

Electric executives open up on what they’re planning next.

Electric power executives open up about their solar investments. What motivates them? What are they planning next?