21st Century ROEs: What Is Reasonable?
How to benchmark return on equity (ROE) and depreciation expense in utility rate cases.
How to benchmark return on equity (ROE) and depreciation expense in utility rate cases.
Mandates
Perspective
Ten ways to fix the mess in electric restructuring.
Exposing Myths on what the FERC Really Wants
Read the RTO Rule. You'll see that it paves the way for transcos.
On Dec. 20, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hit the streets (both Wall and Main) with Order 2000, its rule on regional transmission organizations (RTOs). Ever since, utilities, investors and their advisers have been poring through the 727 pages of the document. They want to know, "What does the FERC really want?"
The question is not simply academic. On March 1 in Cincinnati, the FERC will open the first of five collaborative workshops to explore the RTO Rule and help the industry respond.
Investor Beware: Don?t Overestimate Financial Returns In a Restructured Electric Industry
TODAY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY INDUSTRY HURTLES TOWARD massive restructuring. This fervor is not surprising as it appears society has become convinced that market forces can work better than a centrally planned, regulated environment. This conviction draws strength from deregulation in other industries, such as the airlines, natural gas production and telecommunications.
Kilowatts by Choice, Ready or Not
A state-by-state look at retail competition.
Here is a quick breakdown of how many states stack up on retail choice.
It's a War Out There: A Gas Man Questions Electric "Efficiency".
How the electric industry uses DSM and IRP to build load, ignoring basic truths found in fuel-cycle analysis.It was during the early 19th century that General von Clausewitz announced his nine principles of warfare.
In Brief...
Sound bites from state and federal regulators.
Metering and Service Termination. Pennsylvania proposes two new meter-testing formats for LDCs: 1) a statistical sampling method that categorizes meters based on technology, design, manufacture, model, and operating characteristics; and 2) a variable interval approach that ties the retirement rate for a meter category to level of accuracy. Docket No. L-00960116, Mar. 28, 1996 (Pa.P.U.C.).
1994--The Year in Review
We begin the new year with a recap of the major rulings issued last year by state public utility commissions (PUCs).
Electricity took center stage as state commissioners began in earnest to examine rising competition in the power generation market. The seemingly endless number of privately sponsored seminars, conferences, and reports on the issue might suggest that regulators are following rather than leading on policy.