Law & Lawyers

Risk Holds Sway

Interest rates not always controlling for return on equity. 

(November 2014) Our annual survey of rates of return on common equity authorized by state public utility commissions in recent rate cases for electric and gas retail distribution utilities.

2014 Utility Regulators' Forum

Diversifying Utility Regulation: State regulators voice opinions as mixed as the nation’s geography.

Interviews with public utility commissioners from key states – New York, California, Maryland, and Georgia – on coal carbon, climate, and the revolution in retail. What they’re thinking. What they’re planning.

Utility Commissioners and Who They Trust

A survey sample of regulators on their dealings with peers, colleagues, staffers, and stakeholders.

How do regulators engage their staffs and colleagues? How do they view their peers in other states? The utilities they regulate? A unique view based on a sample survey of former state utility commissioners.

Integrated Distribution Planning

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The next frontier, and the logical extension of integrated resource planning. Self-generation, the connected home, the celebrated internet of things – they all suggest it’s time to focus on the local grid.

Digest (November 2014)

Siemens will provide the grid connection for an offshore wind farm off the coast of the U.K.; ABB will supply gas-insulated switchgear for substations in New Jersey; A team from the Microgrid Institute will design, simulate, and test microgrid control systems for two Maryland suburbs; Plus solar power developments by Xcel Energy, SunEdison, ReneSola, and Duke Energy; and others…

Transactions (November 2014)

PPL Montana sold its hydroelectric facilities to NorthWestern Energy for $900 million; Chesapeake Utilities sold BravePoint; Echelon completed the sale of its grid operations to S&T AG; Plus a debt redemption from Virginia Electric & Power, a private placement offering from DPL, and an IPO for Dominion Midstream Partners.

A Merger Hits Home

Some thoughts on Exelon’s takeover of Pepco.

“Mr. Rigby says there’s no conflict between shareholders wanting the highest price and ratepayers wanting the best service … His view is illogical.” – Scott Hempling, attorney, in opposition.

People (December 2014)

ITC Holdings named Krista Tanner as v.p. of ITC Holdings Corp. and president of ITC Midwest; Dean Seavers will be U.S. president and executive director at National Grid; CenterPoint Energy promoted three company executives; Darren Olagues, is expected to become president and CEO of Cleco; American DG Energy appointed Benjamin M. Locke as co-CEO; Ronald J. Tanski, president and CEO of National Fuel Gas Company, was elected chairman of the board of directors at Interstate Natural Gas Association of America; Appointment changes at several associations, and others...

Transactions (December 2014)

NRG Energy acquired Pure Energies Group, a residential solar industry provider; Duke Energy Progress filed with FERC for approval to purchase the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency’s generating assets for $1.2 billion; Trina Solar Limited signed a share purchase agreement to sell a power plant to funds managed by Foresight Group LLP; AES entered into an agreement to sell its 49.62% equity interest in a joint venture in Turkey; Southern Power acquired the 150-MW Solar Gen 2 solar facility in California from First Solar; SolarCity is planning to launch what would be the first registered public offering of solar bonds in the US; and debt offerings from Dynegy and ComEd.

Energy Politics are Combustible

Many in business back EPA, but the new Congress has yet to weigh in.

The comment period closes on EPA’s Clean Power Plan, but Congress is holding its cards close to the vest.