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Law & Lawyers

Keep Your Eye on the South

The Southeast again is the battleground for fuels, technology, and market structure.

One sure sign of recovery in boom-and-bust power-generation markets is the renewed growth in the planning and construction of power plants. Active efforts are underway in generation development in the Southeast markets in spite of the high levels of generating reserve margins. With its traditional utility-dominated market structure and a preference for baseload generation, the Southeast is the battleground for the next round of power-generation development.

Byline: 

Gary L. Hunt

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Walking the Walk

Eco-Developer Pat Wood III explains how competitive markets are good for green business.

The debate over implementing comprehensive electric-competition policies throughout the U.S. economy still rages to this day. Pat Wood III, as the federal regulator, had to fight many tough, public battles in defense of his beliefs on open markets. But there is no bitterness from those battles, if there ever was. It’s quite the opposite. Interviewed at the American Wind Energy Association conference in early June, Wood punctuated his answers in the go get ’em, optimistic view of the world many remember him for at FERC.

Byline: 

Richard Stavros

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Wind Goes Hollywood

The spotlight is on. But true stardom will require more direction from utilities.

Wind has become today’s hit—a potential blockbuster, even—but still needing that one big break. To make it big, utilities will have to lead the charge as owners. That will force utilities to consider and evaluate the significant credit implications that can arise when signing a power purchase agreement with developers that lack deep pockets, or implement fly- by-night schemes.

Byline: 

Richard Stavros, Executive Editor

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People

(August 2007) Avista Corp. announced that its board of directors elected Vice President Ann Wilson as vice president and treasurer, and Vice President Christy Burmeister-Smith will take over the post of vice president and controller. UniSource Energy shareholders voted to extend the service of its current board of directors. Sierra Pacific Resources elected Glenn C. Christenson to its board of directors. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. appointed John T. Conway site vice president of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. And others...

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Report Slams TXU LBO

Consultant Roger Gale concludes that the TXU leveraged buyout does not provide inherent or long-term advantages to the customer.

Just when everyone thought the dust had cleared on the highly contentious leveraged buyout of TXU by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co. (KKR), new challenges have sprung up from the most unexpected place.

Byline: 

Richard Stavros

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Asian Electric Competition Custom Tailored For Success

Taking the anti-FERC approach to the grid.

A common response to energy-market risk is a complex market infrastructure, with significant administrative effort and cost dedicated to managing the risks and ensuring that the market functions in a transparent and effective manner. But is market complexity a necessary byproduct of competitive markets?

Byline: 

Vikram Janardhan, Ajit Kulkarni, Ph.D., Narottam Aul, and Ng Meng Poh

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California vs. Oregon

An expiring 40-year-old contract rocks the Pacific AC Intertie.

PacifiCorp informed FERC, PG&E, and the state of California that it would not renew the contract upon its long-anticipated expiration date of July 31, 2007. Instead, it would take back full ownership of its transmission-line rights and sell the available capacity into the open market under its own tariff at today’s going rate.

Byline: 

Bruce W. Radford

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Energy Reform: A Legislative Washout?

Congress is shifting U.S. energy policies toward green alternatives. Is the new direction temporary or permanent?

Fundamental questions about fuel supply, efficiency standards, and environmental performance have splintered Republicans and Democrats into warring factions. As a result, the only proposals legislators can agree upon seem to be watered down half-measures.

Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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Kelliher's "Believe It or Not!"

FERC attempts to reform competitive markets.

The fact that FERC actually released an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in late June, on competitive markets of all subjects, has many in disbelief.

Byline: 

Richard Stavros, Executive Editor

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When Two Worlds Collide

Energy guru Joseph A. Stanislaw explains how the battle between government and the marketplace is changing.

It is a debate that rages to this day: whether rate-based regulation (government) or electric competition (marketplace) is a more effective model for the utilities industry and world economies. Joseph Stanislaw gives us a uniquely authoritative view on this perennial question.

Byline: 

Richard Stavros

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