PPL

Vendor Neutral

Lockheed Martin teams with Tendril; Pattern Energy 101 MW wind plant starts operating; Alstom to supply steam equipment to GWF plant; Siemens wins government efficiency contract; GE Jenbacher introduces high-efficiency gas engine; OpenADR Alliance forms; Better Place gets into San Francisco taxis; EnerNOC enters TransAmerica Pyramid; and more.

Utility-Customer Partnerships

Engaging the consumer takes on new meaning.

Customer backlash over dynamic pricing and the smart-grid caught the industry unprepared. CIOs and top customer specialists share their strategies for engagement and attaining consumer satisfaction.

Back to Business

Utility deals resume after 18 months of austerity.

Utilities are taking advantage of a sweet spot in the capital markets, pre-funding and refinancing at record low rates. But cheap money won’t resolve overhanging uncertainties preventing cap-ex projects and M&A deals. Greater certainty in America’s economic and policy outlook will clear a path for strategic change.

M&A Uptick

Do regulatory and economic trends favor industry mergers?

Now that some new major transactions have emerged, and financial recovery appears slowly moving forward, utility mergers are beginning to appear likely again. Although regulatory hurdles still impede new transactions, some changes at the federal level are reducing concerns about market power and competition. Plus, changing market conditions and new compliance requirements are strengthening the case for scale economics.

Retail Resurgence

Beyond-the-meter technologies challenge the utility monopoly.

Smart metering and beyond-the-meter technologies are challenging the utility monopoly model. Now, regulated utilities must re-think their customer relationships as a revitalized retail sector provides growth opportunities.

M&A Forecast

Will shifting winds bring consolidation?

A spate of newly announced deals, including Allegheny Energy’s proposed $9.27 billion acquisition of FirstEnergy, plus PPL’s takeover of E.ON US for $6.73 billion, has left the utility industry cautiously optimistic for a revival of M&A activity.

CEO FORUM: Dealing with Disruption

Leaders adapt to strategic shifts in the utility landscape.

The industry is getting more complex every day. Senior executives at Southern Company, PPL, TXU Energy, Direct Energy and PJM discuss business trends, resource strategies, electric vehicles and customer engagement in the smart-grid era.

People (November 2009)

=El Paso Electric promoted George A. Williams to senior v.p. and COO. Idaho Power promoted Darrel Anderson, IDACORP and Idaho Power’s senior v.p. of administrative services and CFO, to executive v.p. of administrative services and CFO. ConEdison Solutions hired Jim Mueller as v.p. of customer operations. Exelon Corp. appointed John Stough as v.p. and chief development officer for Exelon Transmission Co., a new venture on transmission lines. And others...