Hailed a Taxi Lately?
Economic disruption and the future of electric utilities.
Other industries deregulated and it reduced prices and encouraged innovation. What happened to the utility sector?
Law & Lawyers
Market Manipulation: The Business Questions
Ten points to remember for compliance and employee training.
Without a clear definition of market manipulation, or a detailed description for prohibited conduct, market participants are often left with more questions than answers.
Electricity at War
Rumors tell of a cyber attack on the power grid.
Electricity in war today is akin to the railroads, dating from the Civil War: a high-value target. Every line of code is a land mine, waiting for hackers to detonate.
People (November 2015)
Steven D. Davis was elected to succeed Jessie J. Knight, Jr. as executive v.p. of external affairs and corporate strategy for Sempra Energy. Georgia Power named Dr. Mark Berry as v.p. of environmental affairs. FirstEnergy made management changes in customer service and utility operations areas of the company. GE appointed Stephan Reimelt as president and CEO of GE's power conversion business. Atlantic Power named Joseph E. Cofelice as executive v.p. of commercial development. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) named Bradley C. Jones as president and CEO. Entergy elected Philip L. Frederickson to its board of directors. And others...
Microgrids: Where's the Beef?
Integration beats islanding, anyway you slice it.
A microgrid is a throwback. It’s anathema to what we know about economies of scale. Integration is what maximizes the ability of least-cost resources to reach load. By interfering with least-cost dispatch, microgrids can only raise energy costs.
Growth Through Productivity
Enterprise Management: Taking a wider view of asset management.
Utility executives today see few choices if they wish to achieve growth. Better scheduling can improve overall productivity by 10-15 percent, offering the potential for growth. Yet it is not sufficient simply to focus narrowly on work execution in the field.
Equity Returns: ‘Allowed’ vs. Earned
Understanding how PUC rate case findings differ from a utility’s financial reports.
(November 2015) Setting an allowed return on equity has consistently proven to be the most contentious and subjective part of a rate case proceeding.
2015 Regulators Forum
State Utility Commissioners in Their Own Words
Susan Ackerman, chair, Oregon PUC; Chris Nelson, vice-chairman, South Dakota PUC; Tim G. Echols, Georgia PSC; Paul J. Roberti, Rhode Island PUC
Oregon: Situated Quite Well
2015 Regulators Forum
States that have coal-dependent economies will likely have more difficulty complying with the Clean Power Plan than states like Oregon. There will be rate impacts to be sure. The trick will be compliance at the most reasonable cost that that can be assured.
South Dakota: A Unique Fuel Mix
Chris Nelson, vice-chairman, South Dakota Pub. Utils. Comm’n
Seventy-three percent of our generation is carbon-free, yet the EPA’s 111(d) rules require a 48 percent reduction in our CO2 emission rate. That steep reduction will be very difficult to achieve and will be costly for our electric customers. The commission’s chief concern is keeping a lid on consumer prices, especially given the pressure exerted by EPA.