The ability to provide reliable capacity is becoming both riskier and more costly to society and investors alike.

When we least expected it, the politicians finally were able to pull a multi-billion white rabbit out of their hat—enacting a comprehensive national energy law (Energy Policy Act of 2005) that will usher in extraordinary changes in the industry However, just how the new law really will affect the industry is the question of the hour, with many provisions of the law left to the interpretation of regulators.

Distributed Generation

In the first of three articles, experts at Oak Ridge National Laboratory examine the technical obstacles, deployment, and economic issues surrounding distributed generation.

The existing electric power delivery system is a critical part of this country's economic and societal infrastructure, and proposals to increase the role of distributed energy resources (DER) within this system are welcomed by few in the utility industry.

Power Measurement

The risks in renewable portfolio standards.

State-mandated renewable portfolio standards (RPS)-which set measurable requirements for regulated investor-owned utilities to include renewable energy projects in their portfolio-are being adopted across the country to facilitate the development of renewable energy projects. Nineteen states have enacted renewable portfolio standards (), but significant barriers remain to fulfill the potential of RPS. The U.S.

IT Roundtable

Data gathering and controllability offer the quickest path to reliability.

Managing power grids in North America has become much more complicated in recent years, and that complexity grows with each passing day.

CROSS-SUBSIDIES:

Should regulators care about the inefficiencies?

With the first wave of legislative utility deregulation largely complete, the bulk of market restructuring is now happening in the much less public, but just as important, realm of utility rate-making proceedings. Inside these proceedings, utility commissioners address the basic economic and contractual framework for electric utility services.

Technology Corridor

Renewable Energy:

Mandatory portfolio standards have different implications for different technologies.

The federal government and several state governments are considering programs to increase the share of electricity produced by renewable generation resources to 20 percent or more. If these programs are implemented and pursued successfully, they will trigger a dramatic change in the role of renewable generation and the requirements placed upon it by the market.

A holistic, new approach to cost/benefit analysis.

The still-fresh memories of last year's Northeast blackout coupled with rising congestion nationwide have increased awareness of the electric transmission investment shortfall in the United States. Such investment, in the right locations, would have a highly positive benefit-cost ratio. But how much should be spent?

Perspective

A Year After the Blackout:

Grid reliability is still at risk unless the industry quickly takes action.

Seams, holes, and historic precedent challenge the Midwest ISO's evolution.

In a single sentence, Bill Smith of the Organization of MISO States (OMS) summarizes prevailing concerns about the new-and-improved Midwest ISO: "When it starts, it has to work."