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The Natural Gas Supply Association promoted John H. Sharp and Philip M. Budzik. Sharp, the association's chief lobbyist and counsel since 1988, became vice president, federal and state government affairs, and counsel. Budzik, previously director of research and analysis, was named vice president, federal regulatory affairs and technical analysis.

Bob Wentland joined Coherence Technology Company Inc. as research geophysicist. Wentland also is the manager of product development for CoherentVision(. Wentland's career includes 16 years with Shell Oil Co.

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Benchmarks

The future contract for July delivery at cinergy remains at levels reminiscent of last year's prices. At one point the contract reached $170 per megawatt-hour, matching last year's actual average price during June and July. High forward contract prices such as this show that market traders believe that spot prices for electricity will again be sent to four-digit levels.

Three primary factors led to last year's price spikes. First, nearly 23 percent of the capacity in the Midwest was unavailable during June.

Byline: 
Christopher Seiple
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News Digest

Studies and Reports

Natural Gas Retail Choice. Utility affiliates hold large market shares in natural gas customer choice programs, raising questions about the extent of true competition, according to a study released on Dec. 15 by the U.S. General Accounting Office. Participation varies by region, however, according to the report, "Energy Deregulation - Status of Natural Gas Customer Choice Programs."

In Pennsylvania, for example, three out of four programs showed very high shares for utility affiliates. The Equitable Gas Co.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart, Phillip S. Cross, and Carl J. Levesque
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Perspective

The FERC didn't say, but honest lawyers want to know.

December was a grim month for those wanting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to further define the limits of a "sham transaction," as that idea is understood under the Federal Power Act, which dictates when an electric utility must offer transmission services to power producers, marketers or other utilities.fn1 Of the three cases concerning this issue that were pending before the FERC on the first day of the month, all were resolved. But none was explained.

One case was simply withdrawn.

Byline: 
Jonathan M. Norling
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Midwest vs. Northeast? EPA's NOx Policy

Eight states blame upwind sources. Agency to revisit emissions targets.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Sept. 24 rule for 22 eastern states to file plans to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions would ostensibly reduce transport of ground-level ozone, or smog, in so-called "nonattainment areas." But eight of these affected states have filed petitions arguing that NOx emissions blowing in from nearby jurisdictions must be controlled before they can comply.

So far, in preliminary statements, the EPA has indicated that at least some of these petitions have merit.

Byline: 
Regina R. Johnson and Lori M. Rodgers
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Electric Competition, One Year Later: Winners and Losers in California

The state foots the bill, while northern neighbors profit from a managed power market.

California's electric restructuring plan, launched on April 1, 1998, marks one of the most ambitious attempts in U.S. history to place the state in a social engineering role. Not only was the scale of the project daunting, with implementation cost estimates running as high as $1.2 billion, but the plan places California government in control of the most minute components of the electric system.

How has the experiment gone?

Byline: 
Robert McCullough
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T&D Reliability: The Next Battleground in Re-Regulation

PUCs turn their attention to what they can still control.

The battleground has shifted. Utilities that last year worried about winning customers in pilot programs for retail choice now face public audits on the reliability of transmission and distribution.

With rate cases in remission, no nukes on order and generation planning left to the market, public utility commissions are turning their attention to what they can still regulate. That means service quality. Nor are PUCs the only ones involved.

Byline: 
Dan O'Neill
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Distribution Utilities: Forgotten Orphans of Electric Restructuring

The "duty to connect" demands definition - such as the optimal investment in local wires, and who should pay for it.

As the electric utility industry continues its slow but inexorable transformation into a more "competitive" industry, there has been a notable absence of discussion concerning continued regulation of local distribution utilities, or discos.

Byline: 
Jonathan A. Lesser, Ph.D.
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Frontlines

The wires business goes up for grabs as California opens its landmark case on distributed generation.

Jay Morse has studied distributed generation for the past seven years. Today, as an engineer and policy analyst on regulatory transition and market development issues for the California PUC's Office of Ratepayer Advocates, he sits in the eye of the storm. Technology is busting out all over, says Morse, who calls himself the "godfather" of DG in California's electric restructuring.

Byline: 
Bruce W. Radford
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