George W. Bush

Perspective

Renewable Energy in the 21st Century:

Perspective

Renewable Energy in the 21st Century:

State involvement in promoting renewable technologies has profound implications for the future of the energy industry.

Election-year posturing seems to have prevented the federal government from reaching consensus on a number of energy issues ranging from standard market design to global warming, MBTE to Kyoto, ANWR to nuclear waste disposal.

Frontlines

Utilities have little to show for the millions they pay in campaign contributions.

Frontlines

Utilities have little to show for the millions they pay in campaign contributions.

If Donald Trump could call Congress on the carpet, he would send lawmakers packing with those two now infamous words, "You're fired!"

Trump, at the conclusion of each episode of his reality TV show "The Apprentice," dumps an unlucky job candidate for failing to complete that show's business assignment to his liking.

Off Peak

Congress is still scratching the surface on electric competition.<font color="990000">

Off Peak

August 2002

Seven-Year Itch

Congress is still scratching the surface on electric competition.

August in Washington. Traffic thins out, but not the gridlock. For each of the past seven years, there's been an energy bill lurking somewhere in the hallways of the Russell or Longworth congressional buildings.

Retail Choice Rides Again: A Mixed Market in The Lone Star State

Texas wins raves from the big players for its rules and systems, but the small consumer, as in other states, sees little reason to switch.


Texas wins raves from the big players for its rules and systems, but the small consumer, as in other states, sees little reason to switch.

Six months into the opening of the restructured Texas electric market, industry players are generally pleased with the results, but the jury is still out, as the state's vaunted system design has shown some cracks, and consumers still see little reason to switch their energy supplier.

Izzbee, Izz it?

The Energy Industry Standards Board doesn't exist yet, but it's got regulators talking.

More than two years ago, I suggested in this column that regional independent system operators would likely supplant the regional reliability councils as the caretakers of electric system reliability. And that's still possible—if the ISOs move quickly to RTO status, and if the RTOs get cracking right away on adopting uniform business rules. But the FERC may get tired waiting for that to happen.

Compassionate Competition?

With its own private power grid, Texas thinks it's got restructuring licked.

With its own private power grid, Texas thinks it's got restructuring licked.

News Digest

PUC Oversight: Panacea or New Problem?

News Digest