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?
Law & Lawyers
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.
Digest
NorthWestern Energy issues RFPs for 400 MW; FERC approves AEP's plan to spin off Ohio generation; NRG starts up 720-MW peaking plant in California; Dominion and FuelCell Energy break ground on largest North American fuel cell plant; U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin commission microgrid at Fort Bliss; Duke-American Transmission Co. acquires Path 15 transmission line from Atlantic Power; plus contracts and announcements involving ECOtality, TC Pipelines, S&C Electric, Black Hills Corp., and others.
Improving Capacity Markets
FERC decision on PJM mitigation is a model for other ISOs and RTOs.
Capacity markets have been a significant source of controversy since the inception of competitive wholesale markets. While there are many regulatory questions to be answered in constructing capacity markets, the primary goal of such markets should be to attract capacity that is competitively priced.
Reverse Robin Hood
Declaring war on non-utility PV.
Recently I’ve been hearing some utility executives use a new catchphrase: “reverse Robin Hood.” The phrase is shorthand for policies on net metering and green incentives that support rooftop photovoltaics (PV) at the expense of low-income customers. We’re “robbing the poor” to pay for rich people’s fancy solar systems.
People (July 2013)
Lynn Good succeeds Jim Rogers as Duke CEO; Jon Wellinghoff retires from FERC; plus executive appointments and changes at Exelon, Xcel, Southern Company, and others.