Archive for November, 2007
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 17 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Energy, Nuclear
Energy Business News:
US-based Exelon Nuclear has announced that it will use GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s new generation reactor technology if it decides to build a new nuclear plant in Texas.
The so-called economic simplified boiling water reactor (ESBWR) operates by relying more on natural forces, such as gravity and convection, to operate passive safety systems, than on the large numbers of active pumps and valves used in existing technology….
Exelon expects to submit the combined construction and operating license application to the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission in November 2008.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 17 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Telecommunications
CNET News:
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to permit lawsuits that allege the illicit cooperation of telephone and Internet companies with government spy programs.
By a 227-189 vote largely along party lines on Thursday night, politicians approved the Democrat-backed Restore Act. The action, however, promptly renewed veto vows from the White House, which said the proposal “would dangerously weaken our ability to protect the nation from foreign threats.”
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 16 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Telecommunications
Forbes:
Union leaders, small business representatives and politicians used a wheelbarrow to deliver 2,600 postcards to Gov. Jim Douglas urging him to oppose a plan to sell the Verizon landline telephone system to FairPoint Communications.
The activists say North Carolina-based FairPoint doesn’t have the financial ability to expand broadband Internet service to all corners of Vermont, which some feel is a key to the economic future of the state.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 15 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: General, Electric, Energy
Electric Energy Online:
The outlook for electricity reliability for the coming winter season is good, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) announced in its annual 2007/2008 Winter Reliability Assessment. Though winter peak demand is projected to increase by more than 2 percent over last year’s projections in many regions and capacity margins to decline by about half a percent overall, every region reports projected capacity margins well above target levels. Fuel inventories for electricity generation, both natural gas and coal, are also projected to be very strong over the winter months.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 15 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: General, Electric, Energy
Press of Atlantic City:
An independent report requested by the authority that coordinates electric power supplies in New Jersey and a dozen other states found no problem with the way the group’s in-house Market Monitoring Unit operates…
The PJM-sanctioned report, which was released late last week, said the unit “continues to function effectively.”
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 15 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Energy, Environment
Business Week:
A new interactive online database unveiled Wednesday provides maps, color-coded categories and detailed information about who is putting 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually from power plants around the world — about a fourth of it from the United States.
The Web site, which includes information from 4,000 utilities and 50,000 plants, shows not only the biggest CO2 emitters, but also the facilities and companies that are most green, releasing little if any carbon.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 14 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Energy, Nuclear, Environment
Medill Reports:
Experts are predicting that Exelon Corp. as well as the environment will benefit from anticipated carbon cap legislation intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere.
As the operator of the nation’s largest fleet of nuclear reactors–which produce essentially carbon free-energy–giant Exelon could cement in at least another 10 years of profitable business, Morningstar Inc. analyst Travis Miller wrote in a recent report.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 14 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Telecommunications, International
Business Week:
The European Commission will present a plan Tuesday to set up an EU-wide regulatory body with the power to separate telecom networks and access providers to foster competition and reduce costs for customers.
Calling the existing panel of national telecom regulators a “do-nothing group” that has ignored the interests of EU consumers, the EU’s executive arm will call for the creation of a European Telecom Market Authority, which could push national regulators to tackle large telecommunications companies and their stranglehold over national markets.
Smaller telecom businesses blame regulators’ inaction for holding back the rollout of high-speed Internet across Europe. Only one in five households in wealthy Western Europe has broadband, with high prices and little choice keeping people offline.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 14 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: Water, International, M&A
International Herald Tribune:
German utility RWE AG on Wednesday postponed a planned initial public offering of its U.S.-based water unit American Water Works Co., citing the “currently unfavorable conditions” in U.S. markets.
RWE had planned to spin off Voorhees, New Jersey-based American Water through an IPO at the end of this year as it moves to sharpen its focus on European gas and electricity markets.
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Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 06 Nov 2007 | Tagged as: General, Electric, Energy
The New York Times:
Retail electricity prices have risen much more in states that adopted competitive pricing than in those that have retained traditional rates set by the government, new studies based on years of price reports show.
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