Become a PUF Member Organization

Law & Lawyers

Electric Service in Q2 was just 1.38% of Expenditures

And gas service was just 0.38% of expenditures

The Commerce Department published last week the gross domestic product data for the second quarter. Both electric service and natural gas service, as a percent of personal consumption expenditures, were real low. 

In the second quarter, electric service was just 1.38 percent of expenditures. This was below the second quarter of last year, when electric service was 1.45 percent. And below the second quarter of two years ago, when electric service was 1.46 percent. 

Byline: 

Steve Mitnick

Read Entire Article

Four Bucks a Day

Average residential electric bill fell to four dollars daily in 2015

Four bucks a day. On the nose. That's what the average American household pays for their home's electric utility service.

Last week, the Labor Department released the results of the Consumer Expenditure Survey for 2015. It's the mother lode, on what consumers spend for everything, including electric and natural gas service.

The average daily electric bill is down seven cents from 2014. That's a 1.62 percent drop in electricity's cost to consumers. It would be a larger drop if you took inflation into account.

Byline: 

Steve Mitnick

Read Entire Article

The Price of Turkey, and Utility Service Too

October’s PPI for residential electricity is up 0.2% from last year, and commercial electricity is up 0.5%.

Nov. 17, 2016: Yesterday, the Labor Department published October’s producer price index for numerous goods and services. 

You’re likely most interested in what’s happened to the price of turkey. Thanksgiving is just a week away. Great news! Turkey’s price is down 16.6 percent from last year. 

Suppose you’re also interested in electricity and natural gas price trends. 

The PPI for residential electricity is up 0.2 percent from October 2015. For commercial electricity, it’s up 0.5 percent.

Byline: 

Steve Mitnick

Read Entire Article

Parsing Poles and Towers

Customer cost allocations using the Minimum Distribution System method.

Accounting and Rate Design: How to use the Minimum Distribution Method to allocate local grid costs to end-use customers.
Byline: 

Michael T. O’Sheasy and Joshua Rogers

Read Entire Article

We, the Regulators

The way forward, amidst new markets, technologies, and environmental imperatives.

NARUC’s incoming President – from the Montana PSC – shares his vision on how utility regulators should navigate today’s industry disruptions.
Byline: 

Travis Kavulla

Read Entire Article

Microgrids and Battery Storage

In search of enlightened policy to build a solid business case.

A smart grid expert searches for a solid business case – and tells how to create enlightened policy to make it happen.
Byline: 

Massoud Amin

Read Entire Article

Four Utilities, Four Strategies

Installing utility-scale, grid-connected battery storage.

Stories on installing grid-connected battery storage from AEP, Green Mountain Power, Imperial Irrigation District, and Kauai Island (Hawaii) Utility Co-op.
Byline: 

William Atkinson

Read Entire Article

People (January 2016)

OGE Energy appointed Sean Trauschke as chairman of the board. CenterPoint Energy named Brad Tutunjian as v.p. of gas operations. NRG announced that Mauricio Gutierrez will become president and CEO. GridWise Alliance named Steve Hauser as CEO. And others ...
Read Entire Article

A Holistic Cyber Strategy

Security must be organizational – simply complying will leave you vulnerable.

Workforce Management: Because standards are aimed only at critical assets, cyber security must be holistic – with all employees involved.
Byline: 

Chip Scott, Justin Lowe, and Amanda Levin

Read Entire Article