Stranded cost recovery and cooperative electric utilities.
Both federal and state legislative and regulatory bodies have been moving decisively toward deregulation of major portions of the electric industry. Major legislation has been enacted in a handful of states, most notably California and Pennsylvania. Major electric industry restructuring proposals are also pending before legislative and regulatory bodies...

State and local electric utility taxes: evolutionary taxation of a deregulating monopoly.
I Introduction Competitive forces emerging nationally across the electric utility sector - as a result of actual and anticipated deregulatory activity - have forced the industry, various governmental units, and the general public to consider a number of important issues. One major concern is the...

Certification explained: a civics lesson from Art.
In October I mentioned that I'd discuss why, as a matter of trust, we telcos are granted a franchise. Alan Smith says that in what might be called, in 19th Century Law, the old franchise system, a legislature granted a franchise as a matter of trust to a selected...

The future is spelled CONSUMER.
Participants at NRECA's 1992 Advanced Management Program developed a set of ideas as to a possible formulation to the paradigm shift currently underway in the electric utility industry. Steve Collier's article will provide you with an understanding of the shift's evolution and current status. The previous article, "Restructuring in...

Uncertainty clouds long-term future of operating nuclear power plants.
Long-term prospects for the 107 operating plants that supply more than 20% of the Nation's electricity are increasingly unclear, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) concluded. Since 1989, six nuclear power plants have been retired early, well before the expiration of the 40-year operating licenses granted by the...

End of a monopoly? New technology and public pressure are forcing changes in the electric utility business.
Electric power -- who generates and delivers it to customers, and how much it costs-has been held under tight state and federal regulatory control since the 1920s. Now, new technologies and low prices for natural gas are forcing utilities to be more competitive, and public demand for lower rates...

New Pennsylvania Fund Aims to Help Families Save on Energy Costs.
ENERGY RESOURCE-11 July 2008-New Pennsylvania Fund Aims to Help Families Save on Energy Costs(C)2008 JeraOne - http://www.jeraone.com Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has signed into law a new fund that will save families and small businesses money on their energy bills by supporting investments in energy conservation...

Rare fish swimming in restored Alameda Creek.
Restoration of Alameda Creek in the East Bay reached a milestone this spring when what appeared to be hundreds of steelhead trout hatched in a tributary to the creek. If the young fish are indeed steelhead - experts should know soon - they would mark the first natural reproduction...

Solar series: part 3: the future of solar energy production.
Q: Where is solar energy beaded? Are there any exciting advancements happening now that will change going solar in the future? A: With recent energy economics, solar applications for homes and businesses have become a real alternative. Solar panels are popping up on homes across the landscape,...

Walking gently: how congregations can help save the planet and money too.
As stewards of the earth, Presbyterians are increasingly becoming aware of our need to walk more gently on the earth, to use energy wisely and not squander the financial resources we have been given. But while most citizens of Canada have been pushing governments to move toward sustainability, many...