Law & Lawyers

FERC's Market Design: The End of a 'Noble Dream'

How state opposition cowed the feds and turned a powerful rule into just a set of talking points.

How state opposition cowed the feds and turned a powerful rule into just a set of talking points.

A funny thing happened on the way to a standard market design (SMD). What began as a full-fledged rulemaking-with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) giving instructions and imposing deadlines on the electric utility industry-now has degenerated into little more than a set of talking points.

Talk about cold feet.

Byline: 
Bruce W. Radford
Read Entire Article

Fossil Fuel Politics: How the New Congress Might Change the Mix

How the New Congress Might Change the Mix

Fossil Fuel Politics

 

 

How the New Congress Might Change the Mix

The 108th Congress will very likely resurrect the comprehensive energy and environmental legislation introduced in the 107th Congress, again raising questions about the effectiveness of market intervention in the area of electric generation.

Byline: 
Donald F. Santa Jr. and Ryan L. Flynn
Read Entire Article

People

New Hires:

New Hires:

DPL Inc. named James V. Mahoney president of DPL Energy LLC. Mahoney has been with EarthFirst Technologies since 2001.

The board of directors of Piedmont Natural Gas elected Kim R. Cocklin senior vice president and general counsel. Cocklin's previous experience includes time as senior vice president at Williams Gas Pipeline and senior vice president and general counsel at Texas Gas Transmission Corp.

Byline: 
We welcome submissions to People, especially those accompanied by a Color Photograph. Send to:
Read Entire Article

The Merchant Asset Fire Sale: Deal of the 21st Century?

Companies that were on a buying spree before 2001 are putting assets worth billions n the block


Companies that were on a buying spree before 2001 are putting assets worth billions n the block

A casual observer might expect that the industry's economic condition would produce a cornucopia of cheap assets for acquisitive companies . Eventually it might, but so far, it generally has not.

Byline: 
Michael T. Burr
Read Entire Article

Caveat Emptor: Bottom Fishing With No Regrets

The pros and cons of waiting for the seller to declare bankruptcy.


The pros and cons of waiting for the seller to declare bankruptcy.

Sometimes a great opportunity is just too good to be true. Consider, for example, a purchase of distressed assets from one of the many energy companies now mired in well-publicized financial difficulties.

Byline: 
Jeffrey C. Krause
Read Entire Article

Frontlines

It's a law that only a mother could love.

It's a law that only a mother could love.

It's tough to write another word about repealing the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA), or the "35 Act," as it is also known, referring to its Depression-era origins. But like the Energizer bunny, this debate keeps on going and going.

It's almost 70 years later, and the issue has outlived several generations of utility executives, regulators, lawyers, bankers, academics, and a few magazine editors. Heck, it may outlive us all.

Byline: 
Richard Stavros
Read Entire Article

People

New Positions:

New Positions:

Martin Crotty and Dr. Soumen Ghosh joined SeaWest WindPower Inc. as senior vice president of operations and maintenance, and senior product manager of data services, respectively. Most recently, Crotty was director of operations for the Western Region of NRG Energy. Ghosh spent more than five years at ABB System Control and more than nine years at CMC.

Byline: 
Inside FERC Gas Market Report
Read Entire Article

Perspective

The musings of a utility staffer-written in a spirit of respect for all those staffers who have come to terms with their innermost fears.


The musings of a utility staffer-written in a spirit of respect for all those staffers who have come to terms with their innermost fears.

I am an employee at what they call a "FERC jurisdictional utility." That means I also moonlight as a professional meeting-goer. But it's a good job. I do my small part to keep the electric transmission grid safe and reliable.

Byline: 
Anonymous
Read Entire Article