Michael Giberson The city of Lubbock Texas has had two competing electric power companies since 1917. If a just announced deal goes through, competition will be eliminated. The new “official story” is that competition produced inefficiency, but this view is in stark contrast to old “official story” as told in the “The History of Lubbock …
The (soon to Be Revised) History of Electric Competition in Lubbock Read More »
Michael Giberson This morning, November 4, municipal utility Lubbock Power & Light and local regulated utility Xcel/Southwestern Public Service announced that the city utility will buy out the Xcel distribution system within the city and LP&L would become the monopoly retail power provider. The press conference hosted by the city emphasized the costliness of maintaining …
Breaking News: Retail Power Competition To End In Lubbock After More Than 90 Years Read More »
Lynne Kiesling Matt Welch does a sharp and thorough textual exegesis of parts of President Obama’s speech to Congress on healthcare (health care?) last night, in his article on the accusations of lying that are flying around Washington these days. Matt’s final paragraph struck me, not just because I think he (and President Obama, in …
Choice and Competition Protect Consumers of Healthcare … and Electricity Read More »
Lynne Kiesling I am enjoying my Stockholm visit very much, despite the sticker shock while shopping and dining. The discussions at the Mont Pelerin Society meeting are interesting and thought-provoking, including quite a bit of discussion of the incentive problems, and the moral/ethical problems, of the “Swedish welfare state” model. The Swedish model of health …
Don’t Follow the Swedish Health Care Model; Follow the Swedish Retail Electricity Model Read More »
Michael Giberson Vero Beach, Florida, could become a hothouse of dynamic competition in retail electric power, if only the city would follow the recommendations of economist Dom Armentano. According to the Vero Beach [Florida] Electric Utility, they aim to provide “reliable, cost competitive electrical energy and services to our customers in a manner that exceeds …
Lynne Kiesling Germany’s utility Yellow Strom is a technology leader. They are leading in the introduction of digital technology in the interface between their wires network and the customer’s home; for example they are one of the first partners with Google to roll out Google’s Power Meter, and they are working on an application that …
Technology and Changing the Business Model in the Electricity Industry Read More »
Lynne Kiesling Want better information about your electricity consumption, even if your premise does not have a utility “smart meter”? Do it yourself! Here are some examples, using in-home power meters and the home’s broadband connection to collect the electricity consumption data at WattzOn, an online energy tracking and monitoring tool. The idea is straightforward; …
Want Better Electricity Information? Do It Yourself! Read More »
Michael Giberson Following up on a Monday post, in the news another report of a Texas electric power retailer seeking to acquire generation as a natural hedge. From Platts: Direct Energy said Wednesday that it plans to acquire and/or develop new generating capacity in the US to support its electricity retailing business. Direct, a subsidiary …
Retail Electric Power Market Shakeout in Texas, Ii Read More »
Michael Giberson One last Texas electric power post for the day, this one on the upheaval among some electric power retailers in Texas, via Platts: The shrinking field of retail marketers is not an indictment against restructured power markets but an expected result of the credit crisis and its impact on retailers, Jim Burke, CEO …
The Retail Electric Power Market Shakeout in Texas Read More »
Michael Giberson Power to The Woodlands, Texas, a little north of Houston, is delivered by two different companies. Depending on which neighborhood you live in, either your power comes via CenterPoint Energy or it comes via Entergy Texas. After power outages caused by Hurricane Ike, it took up to a week longer for power to …
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