Of the many provisions in the bailout bill, few of them actually establish new federal policy. Instead, most just continue existing provisions that already were set to expire, and probably would...
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The Texas PV Coalition has been formed to speed commercial availability of photovoltaic systems as a service alternative to extending utility lines. The coalition, which will be managed by Planergy, Inc., an independent energy service company, includes Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Wise Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Inc.; and Lubbock Power & Light. Funding to the tune
of $250,000 was provided by the Utility Photovoltaic Group (backed by the U.S. Department of Energy) and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office.
The City of Palo Alto Electric Utility will invest $2 million in a 20-mile dark-fiber network around the municipality, providing access to competitive local exchange companies, cable companies, cellular and PCS providers, businesses, and schools. The project should break even within three to five years; profit will then run about $1 million annually.
QST Enterprises, Inc. has opened a regional office in Houston, TX, so that subsidiary QST Energy can provide wholesale energy transactions and environmental services. QST will also provide more customer services in the future.
Westinghouse Electric Corp., through its Polish joint venture Modelpol, acquired a significant equity stake in a Polish energy service and manufacturing company, Energoserweis S.A. The additional equity (value undisclosed) brings Westinghouse's stake to 68%.
DQE Energy Services, a DQE, Inc. subsidiary, and KN Services have formed a joint venture, WeatherWise, to sell a product that allows customers to pay predetermined, guaranteed amounts for heat, regardless of the weather's severity. The "WeatherProof Energy Bill" will be available through alliances with energy retailers. The system uses a computer model to analyze historic weather and energy consumption patterns. A WeatherProof Energy Bill already has been chosen by about one-third of the 10,000 customers in a Wyoming gas pilot. Customers subscribe for a year and pay a "modest" fee.
The Southern Co. may well acquire Hong Kong's Consolidated Electric Power Asia (CEPA) for $2.7 billion. Competing bidder YTL Corp., a large Malaysian conglomerate, has bowed out. If the deal goes through as expected, The Southern Co. would own 80% of CEPA; the present owner, Hong Kong billionaire Gordon Y.S. Wu, would retain 20% and remain as chairman. t
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