NRC
People
New Positions:
President Bush named Dr. Nils J. Diaz chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), succeeding Richard A. Meserve. Diaz's current NRC term expires in 2006. Diaz also is professor-emeritus of Nuclear Engineering Sciences at the University of Florida.
Pantellos named Jim Neikirk president and CEO. Neikirk spent five years at Entergy Corp. as vice president and chief procurement officer.
Perspective
For Want of a Nail: Emergency Preparedness at Indian Point
The issues facing Entergy's nuclear plant are fixable. Why shut it down?
What happens when law, technology, and politics collide? It's anyone's guess.
People
New Positions:
Dynegy Inc. named Holli C. Nichols its senior vice president and corporate controller. Nichols joined Dynegy in 2000 after working for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Southern Co. Executive Vice President Leonard J. Haynes was installed as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the North American Energy Standards Board, succeeding Bill Boswell.
Business & Money
Pension Plans May Slow Utility Growth in 2003
The economic downturn is increasing utility pension plan costs and liabilities.
While 401(k) stock option plans have increasingly displaced traditional pension plans in corporate America, many mature firms like electric utilities are still administering sizeable pension plans that in the recent economic downturn could compromise future earnings, according to a report by investment bank CIBC World Markets (CIBC).
Regulators' Forum: A Fight Over Market Design
FERC's attempt to standardize markets have some state regulators up in arms.
The fight over standard market design (SMD) looms large as regulators face the coming year. Passions are heightened on the subject-and everyone has an opinion.
In these pages, takes SMD and other questions right to the top policymakers in six states-Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Texas-for a snapshot of what the thinking is on hot topics. And of course we included the man of the hour, FERC's chairman Pat Wood.
Changing the Fuel Mix: Time for a Nuclear Rescue?
By Lori A. Burkhart
Gas-fired power is king today, but fuel diversity needs and new technologies may open the door for nuclear and coal.
The nation's demand for electricity is expected to grow by over 40 percent in the next 20 years, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Meeting that need will require a great number of new generating plants. The burning question is, what will fuel these new plants?
Perspective
A Dynamic Mission: Protecting Utility Assets
State public service commissions are insisting that utilities adopt risk management programs, and are allowing less pass-through for those that don't.