Have investor-owned electric utilities outlived their usefulness? Many in the public power sector have long answered a rousing “Yes,” but the idea has long been anathema outside the world of munis and co-ops. Now two veteran economic analysts who have long studied the electric system are suggesting that private-sector electric companies may be large, clumsy,… More Are investor-owned electric utilities a mistake?
Birth? Despite the desperate dreams of some for a tripling of worldwide nuclear energy capacity by 2050, a rebirth is drawing skepticism. In the aftermath of last year’s COP28 22 of the world’s nuclear power countries declared that goal. Following up on that aspirational event, the International Atomic Energy Agency organized the first-ever “Nuclear Energy… More Advanced nuclear life cycle: Birth? Death? Burial?
As the July 1 date for California’s revolutionary new electric rate structure – which includes a graduated income tax in addition to traditional volumetric rates – approaches, a group of Democratic lawmakers are trying to reverse course. On Feb. 12, 20 California Assembly Democrats led by Rebecca Bauer-Kahan introduced AB 1999, aimed at repealing AB… More Calif. utility graduated income tax rate plan under fire
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Thursday (Mar. 21) opened an investigation into a practice of interstate natural gas pipelines to bundle essential gas pipeline capacity contracts with less-desirable, non-contiguous capacity, which might unfairly increase gas prices to consumers. In June 2022, the American Gas Association (AGA), the American Public Gas Association (APGA), the Process Gas… More FERC to examine gas pipeline rates, clarify electric grid queues, hold hands with states
New Mexico’s Supreme Court on Monday (Mar. 18) approved the state’s nascent community solar law under attack from the state’s three investor-owned utilities. The court upheld 2022 regulations that the state’s Public Regulation Commission (PRC) put in place to implement a 2021 law requiring the distribution utilities to buy electricity generated by solar arrays serving… More N.M. Supreme Court backs community solar law
Australia’s out-of-power right-wing party alliance , the “Coalition,” is assailing a government report that says nukes are too slow and too expensive to make a major contribution to reducing the country’s greenhouse gases. The Coalition is made up of the remnants of the defeated Liberal (right) and National (far right) parties, while the left leaning… More Partisan dispute flares up over Australia’s energy future
Tom Ervin, a member of the South Carolina Public Service Commission, resigned Wednesday (Mar. 13), protesting utility-friendly legislation moving forward in the state legislature. Ervin warned that the bill could set up a repeat of the catastrophically-failed V.C. Summer nuclear project in 2017. The bill in the state House would clear the regulatory path for… More S.C. utility regulator quits in protest over pending legislation
In a reversal of recent history, on Monday (Mar. 11) Pittsburgh-based natural gas producer EQT announced it is buying back gas pipeline giant Equitrans Midstream Corp. in a $5.5 billion, all-stock deal. EQT spun off Equitrans (ETRN:NYSE) in 2018. The reunion will create a $35 billion company that EQT describes as “a premier vertically integrated… More Backspin: EQT acquires pipeline business spun off in 2018
Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy has acknowledged that its Texas-based subsidiary Southwestern Public Service Co. likely caused the giant Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Texas panhandle. The conflagration erupted late last month, the largest wildfire in Lone Star State history. The fire was largely contained as of yesterday afternoon. Both the utility holding company and wildfire experts… More Wildfires’ glowing embers: Texas, Buffett, California
The U.S. nuclear industry in recent days has hit three cherries on the federal government’s money and policy slot machine. The open question is whether the largess (some might call it pork) will have the intended results: revitalizing a moribund industry by hitching its wagon to the feverish fear of climate change and long-run animosity… More Commentary: Ding. Ding. Ding