[BETA] Fortnightly

Sound bites from state and federal regulators.

Refusal to Wheel. Federal judge allows rural electric co-op to proceed with antitrust suit against PacifiCorp, ruling that doctrine of state action immunity does not insulate a regulated investor-owned electric utility from antitrust action for allegedly refusing to sell to sell power to others for resale to customers, or for allegedly refusing to wheel power generated by other suppliers.

The New York Public Service Commission has set up procedures to reimburse qualifying cogeneration and small power production facilities if any of the state's seven investor-owned electric utilities should curtail purchases of power from the QFs. The Independent Power Producers of New York Inc. blasted the decision.

The PSC said it will review QF requests for reimbursement if a utility is alleged to have curtailed purchases unfairly.

Sound bites from state and federal regulators.

Gas Curtailment. New York PSC approves updated curtailment and interruption tariffs for many of the state's natural gas local distribution companies. It had asked the LDCs to develop new rules to reflect growing competition and ensure gas deliveries for core customers during a supply crunch. Case 93-G-0932, March 24, 1997 (N.Y.P.S.C.).

T & D Classification. New York PSC opens proceeding to distinguish between electric transmission and distribution facilities.

Savings, yes. But some load-management

techniques may imply trade-offs in service

quality.By Scott L. Englander, John E. Flory,

Leslie K. Norford, and Richard D. TaborsAs facility manager for a large hotel, you browse your energy vendor's web site to view tomorrow's hourly prices. But it seems your computer (pc) has already done some browsing of its own. Since it's connected to your energy management system, your pc has already looked up the weather forecast and has logged on to the hotel's main computer to find out what rooms will be used.

Erroll B. Davis, Jr.

President & CEO

Wisconsin Power & Light Co.

WP&L advocates that the following steps be taken to create a level playing field for merchants entering the retail market:

s Distribution rates should be fully unbundled from retail sales tariff rates.