More On California Electricity Regulation
This Dan Walters column from today’s Sacramento Bee puts the current debates over electricity regulation in the context of the 1996 debate. Very good read.
Electricity
Re-regulation Bill In California Rejected
On Wednesday I mentioned the committee rejection of California AB 428, which I claim reflected a continued control and manage mindset in California regarding electriicty markets. Today we hear that the re-regulation bill, SB 888, failed to pass a Senate utility committee vote: “I don’t want to repeat what happened in ’96 when a lot …
California Iso Restructuring
The California ISO has been in the throes of restructuring for the past two years, and has released what is likely to be its final design proposal. The ISO board has approved this proposal. In lieu of my slapdash review of it, I attach here some comments from a very knowledgeable and insightful colleague of …
The Control And Manage Mindset Marches On In California
The California legislature has entertained a few different bills this year that would reinstate direct access for some electricity consumers. And it is quashing all of them, and choosing instead to reinstate more traditional, top-down, no-incentives-in-sight cost-based regulation (through SB 888). The latest effort to reintroduce consumer direct access is AB 428, which proposes a …
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Electricity Storage Seen Taming Volatile Prices
Electricity storage is one of the holy grails of the industry. Those who wish to continue regulating and controlling this dynamic, complex industry use the inability to store electricity cost-effectively as an argument for why electric networks have to be regulated. Of course, this argument is a canard — many things we consume are not …
The Greenest Electron
I am thrilled by this quote in an article on building energy efficient buildings: “The greenest electron is the one you never use,” said Stephen Smith, the executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, based in Knoxville, Tenn. Yes! So why are so many “environmentalists” opposed to market-based pricing of electricity? If you …
My Tech Central Station Article
Yesterday I had an article on natural gas policy at Tech Central Station. Here’s the conclusion as a teaser: Price increases transmit valuable information to consumers that enables them to decide when it is worth it to them to conserve. Price increases serve as the most effective inducement to conservation, because they signal to consumers …
California’s electricity network reliability pales in comparison to competitive states Yesterday California experienced a Stage 1 alert , indicating that electricity operating reserve margins had dipped to below 7 percent. Nothing compared to 2000-2001, but still a signal for some concern about electricity network reliability. As we approach this summer air conditioning season, I wanted …
California’s electricity network reliability pales in comparison to competitive states Yesterday California experienced a Stage 1 alert , indicating that electricity operating reserve margins had dipped to below 7 percent. Nothing compared to 2000-2001, but still a signal for some concern about electricity network reliability. As we approach this summer air conditioning season, I wanted …
California’s electricity network reliability pales in comparison to competitive states Yesterday California experienced a Stage 1 alert , indicating that electricity operating reserve margins had dipped to below 7 percent. Nothing compared to 2000-2001, but still a signal for some concern about electricity network reliability. As we approach this summer air conditioning season, I wanted …