Fortnightly Magazine - July 15 2003

Taking the Weather Option

Weather-contingent options are cheaper than other weather risk products and can be crafted to suit emissions allowance markets.


Weather-contingent options are cheaper than other weather risk products and can be crafted to suit emissions allowance markets.

Weather is a pivotal demand factor in energy consumption, but one that is difficult to predict and impossible to control. With weather-hedging tools available in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets for several years, the market has grown to $4.2 billion, with approximately 4,000 contracts traded in 2001, according to Pricewaterhouse-Coopers.

Watching the Watchers

Can RTO market monitors really be independent?


Can RTO market monitors really be independent?

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) initiatives on regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and standard market design give new prominence to the market monitoring institution (MMI), a novel regulatory tool never before contemplated in legislation.1

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