Calendar of Events

May 21, 2013 to May 22, 2013 | Washington, DC
May 21, 2013 to May 22, 2013 | Charlotte, North Carolina
May 21, 2013 to May 23, 2013 | Atlanta, GA

Keywords

Public Utilities Reports

PUR Guide 2012 Fully Updated Version

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DR

Smaller, Cheaper, and More Resilient

The rationale for microgrids.

Edward N. Krapels and Clarke Bruno

Despite an array of challenges, microgrids are becoming a force in the market. Innovative projects bring greater efficiency and resilience.

California Orders SCE to Procure Energy Storage

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously approved a decision ordering Southern California Edison (SCE) to procure between 1,400 and 1,800 MW of energy capacity in the Los Angeles basin to meet long-term local requirements by 2021. Of this amount, at least 50 MW is required by the CPUC to be procured by SCE from energy storage resources, as well as up to an additional total of 600 MW of capacity required to be procured from preferred resources – including energy storage. “Preferred resources” also include e

Set and Forget

The underlying premise of demand response hasn’t changed in 30 years, but the technologies and approaches to executing DR programs today are worlds away from the basic, one-way load control programs of yesteryear. Engagement and automation are changing everything.

The underlying premise of demand response hasn’t changed in 30 years, but the technologies and approaches to executing DR programs today are worlds away from the basic, one-way load control programs of yesteryear. Engagement and automation are changing everything.

CEO Forum: Facing the Future

Three CEOs, three business models, one shared outlook.

Michael T. Burr

Cheap gas, regulatory uncertainties, and a technology revolution are re-making the U.S. utility industry. Top executives at three very different companies—CMS, NRG, and the Midwest ISO—share their outlook on the industry’s transformative changes.

Vendor Neutral

(April 2012) MidAmerican Energy awarded a contract to Siemens Energy to supply wind turbines for its 407-MW project expansion. American Electric Power began operating the 580-MW Dresden natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant. Duke Energy and ChinaHuaneng Group signed a three-year agreement expanding their research cooperation to include coal and carbon capture and sequestration technologies. And others...

Edison Under the Hood

Can utilities put EV batteries in the rate base?

Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief

Thomas Edison once hoped to make a fortune in the auto business—selling electric cars. Of course it never happened; he and Henry Ford tried and failed to bring a low-cost electric car to market. They scuttled the project after investing $1.5 million toward the effort—more than $32 million in today’s dollars. Edison’s nickel-iron batteries just couldn't match the performance of Ford’s petrol-powered bang-bang.

Vendor Neutral

(March 2012) DTE Energy awards contract to URS; Exelon and Constellation reach an agreement with Electricite de France; Dominion and Lockheed Martin enter a joint marketing and development alliance; plus deals involving Nissan North America, CenterPoint Energy Field Services, Honeywell, Silver Spring Networks, and others.

A Year of Fear

Resuming progress after 2011’s uncertainty.

Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief

From the Fukushima disaster and its repercussions, to the raging battle over new EPA regulations, 2011 was one of the most volatile years on record for the electric power business. Will 2012 be better or worse than 2011? Cost factors make this a great time to invest, but overhanging uncertainties might bring another year of fear.

Maximizing Customer Benefits

Performance measurement and action steps for smart grid investments.

Paul Alvarez

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.

Bench Report: Top Ten Legal Decisions of 2011

Bruce W. Radford 

1. ‘Policy’ Guides the Grid; 2. Carbon Not a Nuisance (Yet); 3. Gigabucks for Negawatts; 4. A MOPR, Not a NOPR; 5. Ramp Up the Frequency; 6. Cap-and-Trade Still Lives; 7. Cyber Insecurity; 8. Korridor Killer; 9. The Burden Not Shared; 10. Ozone Can Wait.

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