Big Share of '95 Fuel Mix
For the second year in a row, natural gas fueled an increasing share of U.S. electric generation. When the final numbers are tabulated for 1995, electric generation is expected to have increased about 2.7 percent over the previous year. This compares to a 0.98-percent increase for the 1993-1994 period. Gas accounted for over 10 percent of the 1995 utility fuel mix (em up from 8.8 percent just two years ago.
The New York State Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee is holding a series of hearings on the phase-out of the gross receipts tax (GRT). Utilities in New York State have been arguing that the GRT and unwanted purchased-power contracts have driven the price of electricity up to a noncompetitive level. Testimony pointed out that, regardless of the methods used to introduce competition, New York state utilities would not be able to fairly compete with out-of-state suppliers.
Gladys L.
Standard & Poor's (S&P) has released a survey of 90 state regulators and their opinions on electric utility deregulation, conducted by RKS Research and Consulting. S&P intends to use the survey to assess the "nonquantifiable risks and opportunities" of competition.
The study found that state regulators and staff do not fully support stranded-cost recovery through cost allocation at the state level. Regulators would prefer to share stranded costs among large customers, small commercial and residential customers, and shareholders.
In response to a mandate by New York Gov. George E. Pataki, a Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) advisory team has developed a proposal to dismantle the Long Island Lighting Co. (LILCO), hoping to reduce electric rates by as much as 12 percent. In response, Moody's Investors Service has changed the direction of its review of LILCO's credit ratings from negative to uncertain.
LIPA intends to create a LIPA "wire company" that would buy LILCO's transmission and distribution assets, including some payment for the Shoreham plant.
A new Standard & Poor's (S&P) report, Direct Access Threatens Utility Revenues, predicts that electric utility revenues would decline 6 to 16 percent ($10 to $26 billion) if retail direct access is implemented. S&P bases its findings on two scenarios: In the severe case, direct access occurs immediately for all customer classes and no surcharge mechanism recovers lost revenues. The more reasonable scenario assumes that only large commercial and industrial (C/I) users will exercise their right to choose direct access and that 50 percent of C/I lost revenues will be recovered in rates.
"market-based" electric tariff for Fitchburg Gas & Electric Co., a combined electric and gas utility. The "Energy Bank Service" for new or expanding industrial customers offers rates competitive with average U.S. industrial rates.
The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a request by Northern States Power Co., an electric utility, to treat all of its demand-side management (DSM) expenditures as expenses rather than capitalizing them. The PSC found that the change would strengthen the company's financial and competitive positions as it initiates its transition to a restructured electric industry.
In a 1992 rate order the PSC directed the utility to capitalize a substantial portion of the DSM costs over a five-year period.
The Colorado Public Service Commission (PSC) has renewed its commitment to rate recovery of costs associated with utility-sponsored demand-side management (DSM) programs. At the same time, however, it has formally rejected a series of broader-based rate reforms under development since 1991. The rulings came in a case involving the Public Service Co. of Colorado, an electric utility. The PSC found a "ubiquitous lack of support" for mechanisms to encourage utility conservation investments that could reduce total system costs, but might also reduce sales levels.
Public utility stocks showed no signs of letting up during the fourth quarter of 1995. The Public Utilities Stock Index rallied a brisk 234.66 points, or 6.38 percent, to close at 3910.01. Not to be outdone, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 355.86 points, or 7.47 percent, to close at 5117.12, and the S&P 500 Stock Index climbed 34.21 points, or 5.88 percent, to close at 615.93.
Certain stocks sparkled more than others:
SCANA Corp.
Annual Annual EPS
Close Close Percent 52-Wk 52-Wk Div Div Book P/E Last
Company Region 10/02 12/29 Change High Low Rate Yield Value Ratio 12 Mos.Electric Utilities
AEP Company Inc. Midwest 36.13 40.50 12.11 40.63 31.25 2.40 5.93 22.68 15 2.71
Unicom Corp.