(March 2011) TVA and EPRI demonstrate solar-assisted EV charging station; Ford unveils the all-electric Focus; Central Maine Power awards substation contracts; ERCOT deploys ABB software in nodal market; FirstSolar starts up PV plant for Southern Company and Ted Turner; plus contracts and announcements involving Open Systems International, Verizon, Suntech Power, Alcatel-Lucent, Siemens, Cisco, Elster, Sensus, Silver Spring Networks and others.
Beacon Power delivers flywheel electronics; PPL awards dry sorbent injection contract to United Conveyor.
Bringing flexibility and efficiency to energy RFPs.
Joseph Cavicchi and Andrew Lemon
With the introduction of retail competition in the electricity industry, regulatory authorities in many jurisdictions are now overseeing the purchase of electricity at wholesale by electric utilities for customers that do not otherwise obtain supply from independent retailers. There are two primary ways in which, under the supervision of regulatory authorities, electric utilities purchase electricity for these non-shopping customers: through simultaneous descending clock auctions or through fairly common sealed-bid auctions, commonly known as Requests for Proposals.
FERC’s ROE incentive adder policy sends the wrong signals.
Scott H. Strauss and Jeffrey A. Schwarz
FERC is offering incentive rates to entice transmission investment. But the authors identify serious flaws in emerging policy regarding return on equity (ROE) incentive adders. Determining whether and when ROE adders are appropriate requires a more deliberative approach.
A billion-dollar ‘gold rush’ could send grid rates through the roof.
Money may be difficult to come by for Wall Street financiers in these dark days, but apparently not for electric transmission construction—at least so far. A rash of recent orders from FERC shows that generous financial incentives remain available to companies seeking to expand the nation’s grid capacity.
The California ISO offers a plan, but some fear that rules themselves are the problem.
ISO Credit Requirements.
Dynegy's David Francis, vice president for western power trading, testified on Dec. 21 on why he thought the ISO was bending the rules:
Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Bd. v. Kansas Corp. Comm'n, Nos. 85,750 et al., Dec. 15, 2000 (Kan.App.)
Calif. PUC Application 99-08-022, proposed decisions by Barnett (Aug. 2, 2000), Neeper (Sept. 19, 2000), and Bilas (Nov. 6, 2000)
State PUCs
Docket No. NOI-98-3, March 3, 2000 (Iowa Ut.Bd.)
State PUCs
Retail Energy Choice. At press time, Virginia issued proposed interim rules governing pilot programs for electric retail competition in electricity and natural gas, with comments due Feb. 24. The interim rules were not expected to resolve all issues, but only to provide a starting point to gain experience.
Among other points, the interim rules would require utilities to make information available through electronic bulletin boards on availability of commodity supply, ancillary services, and transmission and distribution capacity. Case No.
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