Public Service Company of Oklahoma

Vendor Neutral

Calpine signs PPA with Public Service Company of Oklahoma; TransCanada and Ontario PowerAuthority agree to develop 900-MW gas-fired power plant; Panda selects Siemens to build combined-cycle plant; Progress Energy retires coal plants dating from 1923; Southern Company and Turner acquire 30-MW PV project; PSO begins smart meter pilot rollout; Southern California Edison contracts with Corix to install smart meters; Iberdrola USA hires Burns and McDonnell to review grid infrastructure. Plus contracts and announcements from Itron, eMeter, Echelon, Quanta Services, DNV, Metadigm, Landis+Gyr, and others.

Vendor Neutral

(October 2011) Wind Capital group selects RMT Inc. to design and construct wind energy facility; MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. and SunEdison acquire Fotowatio Renewable Ventures; Solar Community and Reliant Energy team up to offer financing options; KEMA selects Green Energy Corp.’s software; Leviton unveils commercial electric vehicle charging stations; plus announcements and contracts involving Science Applications International Corp., Tantalus, FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Co. and others.

Perspective

The FERC didn't say, but honest lawyers want to know.

December was a grim month for those wanting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to further define the limits of a "sham transaction," as that idea is understood under the Federal Power Act, which dictates when an electric utility must offer transmission services to power producers, marketers or other utilities.fn1 Of the three cases concerning this issue that were pending before the FERC on the first day of the month, all were resolved. But none was explained.

One case was simply withdrawn.