In the Situation Room
Presidential attention raises the priority level for cybersecurity.
Have industry leaders and regulators turned a corner on efforts to make the grid more secure?
Fortnightly Magazine - June 2013
Unleash the Genie
Former FERC Commissioner Bill Massey says we shouldn't bottle the genie of competition as Fortnightly author Doug Jones advocated in May 2013. Instead, he says, the genie's shackles should be removed so market forces can produce maximum efficiency and value for customers.
People (June 2013)
New Opportunities: FirstEnergy named James V. Fakult, formerly president, Maryland operations, as president, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L). He succeeds Don Lynch, who retired. James A. Sears, director of operations services at Mon power, was promoted to president of Maryland operations, succeeding Fakult. In related organizational moves, Anthony Hurley, director of operations services at Toledo Edison, was promoted to v.p.
PPAs for DG
What every real property owner should know.
Financing has been scarce for distributed generation. But as opportunities expand, commercial frameworks are solidifying. Power purchase agreements are paving the way to a bright future for DG.
Transactions (June 2013)
Atlantic Power sells 800 MW of generating capacity in Florida and Texas; Goldman Sachs buys Imperial Valley project from FirstSolar; Duke acquires two solar plants in California; Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy buy Campo Verde project; plus other deals and issues totaling more than $2 billion.
Investor Sequester
State complaints over FERC-granted equity returns could dry up funding for transmission expansion.
Perhaps sensing the weight of evidence allayed against them, transmission owners have thrown caution to the wind by openly and admittedly submitting an ROE analysis that doesn’t comport with FERC precedent.
Industry in Transition
Utility CEOs face disruptive trends.
Top executives at AEP, the California ISO, and El Paso Electric address key challenges and opportunities.
Profit and the New Normal
Delivering value in a zero-growth market.
Disruptive technologies and resource shifts are changing the utility business model. Market factors are driving companies toward four possible paths.
Reducing Rate Shocks
Original-cost ratemaking doesn’t suit the challenges facing utilities today.
Levelized rates can serve customers’ interests, while also accelerating capital investment and providing an economic stimulus to the economy.
Cost-Recovery for Pre-Approved Projects
Uncertainties remain, but recent cases provide guidance.
Levelized rates can serve customers’ interests, while also accelerating capital investment and providing an economic stimulus to the economy.