The world of fiber optic easements is a world in which probably only a small percentage of real property transactions conform to the purist legal definition of fair market value established by our courts. In such a world, we should view the ATB or going prices paid by fiber optic conduit wholesalers or retailers as reflective of “fair market value,” no matter how one-sided they may appear to be. Across-The-Board easement prices come closest to reflecting the minimum conditions necessary to replicate true competitive market for partial property rights in limited-market corridor properties.

Two readers — President and CEO of El Paso Electric James Haines and Richard D. Cudahy, Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Chicago — respond to a letter written about Cudahy's article “The Stranded Ratepayer” (March 15, 2001, p. 26).

Restructuring has already created a badly needed new atmosphere for the industry. There is an infusion of new thinking and vigor that portends bringing the industry's performance up to the standards of the rest of the economy. We have no reason to believe that regulation would fare better in the future than in the past. Let's go forward with electric restructuring. Unfortunately, however, it's turning out to be more difficult than we expected.

John M. Melby at Automated Power Exchange, Robert T. Bucknell at Bay State Gas, Michael R. Mott at Dynegy, and more.

FERC's California plan needs pressing, to fix blatant gaffes on NOx, demand bids, and megawatt laundering.

While it may not be the end-all, fix-all solution for the California energy crunch, many individuals have found that the use of personal generators is definitely worthwhile, particularly when it comes to keeping cool.

President Bush's national energy policy offers no relief for summer, giving Democrats a bone to pick.

With rising power and gas prices, coal gasification in back in fashion, along with new approaches to cogeneration and combined heat and power.

$15 billion in patronage capital lies fallow, locked up in member-owned cooperatives with no way to participate in equity markets. That’s how the S&Ls looked 20 years ago, before they saw the light.

Fire up all the small, diesel-powered emergency generating units already installed on site in California. It would erase the power shortage, but it won’t happen without changing the way we think about unit dispatch.