Become a PUF Member Organization

Technology

Metering and Billing: Building a Better Pricing System

Two-part real-time pricing reflects the two-part pricing found in other business sectors.

Georgia Power Co., Duke Power Co., and their customers have reaped the benefits of two-part real-time pricing (RTP) for nearly 10 years. This structure has been a perfectly acceptable and efficient means to price electricity, but a second structure for pricing electricity can now be introduced. Either structure is sound and efficacious. Each methodology has its advantages, and utilities should consider which method best serves their needs.

Byline: 

Michael O'Sheasy

Read Entire Article

Technology Corridor

Smaller systems aren't cost-effective.

It's time for a reality check on the commercial viability of wind farms. Are large wind systems more economical than small wind systems?
Byline: 

Gary C. Young, Ph.D., P.E.

Read Entire Article

The Case Against Gas Dependence

Greater reliance on gas-fired power implies serious economic, technological, and national security risks.

Over the past two decades, the United States has, by default, come to rely on an "In Gas We Trust" energy policy. Is such a dramatic increase in the use of natural gas to generate electricity feasible without straining gas supply and infrastructure?
Byline: 

Roger H. Bezdek and Robert M. Wendling

Read Entire Article

Technology Corridor: Bridging the Transmission Gap

A digital grid to the home, secured via a local fiber-optic network, could position utilities to fix power and telecom together.

Before billions are spent building new transmission lines to ensure reliable electric service, North American electric utilities should evaluate whether the alternatives — controlling demand and fostering distributed generation — might be more cost-effective and broadly beneficial.
Byline: 

Steven R. Rivkin

Read Entire Article

Technology Corridor

Utilities are finding strategic benefits in demand-based metering technologies.

Technology Corridor

Utilities are finding strategic benefits in demand-based metering technologies.

It's been years since utilities regarded customers as mere check-writing extensions of their meters. In fact, utilities' information technology focus during the past decade has centered on gaining greater control over customer information. The objective: Focus on-and fill-customer needs. The results are everywhere:

Byline: 
Guerry Waters
Read Entire Article

Power Outages: A Tale of Two CIS Systems

What made BG&E's system more reliable than Pepco's?

Reliability and customer information systems (CIS) are rarely mentioned in the same breath. But in the wake of Hurricane Isabel last fall, the CIS at Baltimore Gas and Electric gets kudos for helping the utility keep on top of a widespread outage.
Byline: 

Jennifer Alvey

Read Entire Article

Mercury Rising

How will the EPA's rulemaking affect U.S. energy markets?

EPA proposes a cap-and-trade program. How does that compare with a Maximum Achievable Control Technology standard?
Byline: 

Stephen Becker and Craig Hart

Read Entire Article

Technology Corridor

Experts say utilities are pushing transmission systems to unsafe limits.

Technology Corridor

Experts say utilities are pushing transmission systems to unsafe limits.

When transmission-line rating assumptions do not match the physical realities of transmission networks, the consequences can be disastrous.

Byline: 
Tapani O. Seppa
Read Entire Article

People

New Oportunities:

People

New Oportunities:

Philip Carroll Jr. returned to ScottishPower as a non-executive director. According to the Comtex News Network, Carroll left ScottishPower earlier in 2003 to assist with the rebuilding of infrastructure in post-war Iraq.

Chesapeake Utilities hired Joe Steinmetz as its director of Internal Audit. Steinmetz served in the same position with Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. and Dover Motorsports Inc. from 2001 to 2003 before being promoted to assisted controller.

Byline: 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Read Entire Article