Community Renaissance
When one age ends, another begins.
Community microgrids raise questions about the role of the utility franchise, versus the free market.
Law & Lawyers
People (April 2014)
Southern Company names Kimberly S. Greene COO; Mark A. Crosswhite becomes CEO of Alabama Power; James Y. Kerr becomes Southern Company's general counsel; Calvin G. Butler Jr. becomes CEO at Baltimore Gas & Electric; Michael T. Burr steps down as Fortnightly's editor-in-chief; plus executive announcements at Ameren, Southern California Edison, OGE Energy, and others.
Social Intelligence
Harnessing the true power of social media.
Customers expect their utilities to communicate as well as other service providers. This shouldn’t be considered a burden, but an opportunity.
Transactions (April 2014)
Calpine acquires Texas combined-cycle plant from MinnTex; FirstEnergy sells 11 hydro stations to LS Power; Alterra Power acquires 202-MW wind farm; plus deals and debt issues totaling $1.8 billion.
Scare Tactics
New England’s proposed capacity market reform would force generators to ‘Be There or Else.’
Facing worries about resource adequacy, ISO New England proposes changes that would penalize generators that fail to perform when needed -- for any reason. Market players say it can only work if the system operator allows for reasonable exceptions.
The End of an Age
Survival in the new market requires embracing new technologies and practices.
New technologies are opening the utility domain to innovation and competition. Traditional utilities will shrink as outsourcing providers and competitors grow. Survival in this new market requires embracing new technologies and practices.
Cybersecurity and the PUC
Regulators and utilities should collaborate more to address cyber threats.
Public utility commissions face a growing need to understand cybersecurity issues, so they can address utility investments and processes. A collaborative approach will allow an effective response.
Next-Gen Nuclear
Tomorrow’s options for low-carbon baseload generation.
The nuclear renaissance might be postponed, but technologies continue advancing. The next generation of plants will apply innovation for safety, efficiency, and modularity.
Why Outage Management Must Change
Smart grid advancements call for a new approach to restoration.
The next-generation smart grid system must perform SCADA, DMS, and OMS functions using a single, common representation of the distribution network.
Unwinding the Death Spiral
Rooftop solar, net metering, and the perils of utilityspeak.
The Sierra Club accuses utilities of trying to snuff out rooftop solar. Attorney Donald Sipe recommends RTO/ISO markets for natural gas.