Fortnightly Magazine - July 2007

The Hidden Costs of Sarbanes-Oxley

Can they be reduced?

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has cost public companies millions, if not billions, of dollars in extra costs. One must ask: What is the total cost of Sarbanes-Oxley, and is it worth it?

When Shippers Seek Release

Price caps, secondary markets, and the revolution in natural-gas portfolio management.

When FERC decided in February, in Order 890, to lift the price cap for electric-transmission customers seeking to resell their grid capacity rights in the secondary market, it cautioned against expecting a quid pro quo for gas. Was the commission just teasing?

Nuclear vs. IGCC

Next-gen technologies race to dominate the big build.

New nuke plants will take at least eight years to complete, while the coal that powers new IGCC plants is no longer cheap. Regulatory and market obstacles confront both technologies, just as they emerge from the starting gate. Which type of plant will win the future?

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