Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 20 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Electric, Energy, Environment
Former Vice President Al Gore called Thursday for a “man on the moon” effort to switch all of the nation’s electricity production to wind, solar and other carbon-free sources within 10 years, a goal that he said would solve global warming as well as economic and natural security crises caused by dependence on fossil fuels.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 15 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Water, Opinion
David Zetland on Forbes:
The real problem is that the price of water in California, as in most of America, has virtually nothing to do with supply and demand. Although water is distributed by public and private monopolies that could easily charge high prices, municipalities and regulators set prices that are as low as possible. Underpriced water sends the wrong signal to the people using it: It tells them not to worry about how much they use.
Low prices lead to shortages. Water managers respond to them with calls for conservation. But this often fails… When voluntary conservation fails, water agencies impose mandatory rationing, which is unfair and inefficient because people who have historically been water misers are cut back by the same percentage as water hogs.
If water was priced to reflect scarcity, a decrease in supply would lead to an increase in price, and people would demand less…
In a sensible water pricing system, everyone would be guaranteed a base quantity of water at a low price. Those who used more would face a steep price hike.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 15 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Energy, Environment
Exelon, the electric company based in Chicago, will promise on Tuesday to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 by an amount larger than its total emissions in 2008, in a bid to shape the debate on carbon dioxide rules and to get a jump on compliance…
The reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will come by making Exelon’s operations more efficient, cutting the energy use of its electricity customers and building low-carbon generators that would displace older, less-efficient plants, many operated by rivals, the company said.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 10 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Telecommunications
The Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a major expansion of the government’s surveillance powers, handing President Bush one more victory in a series of hard-fought clashes with Democrats over national security issues.
The measure, approved by a vote of 69 to 28, is the biggest revamping of federal surveillance law in 30 years. It includes a divisive element that Mr. Bush had deemed essential: legal immunity for the phone companies that cooperated in the National Security Agency wiretapping program he approved after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 10 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: General, Energy, Environment
At a high temperature and pressure, gasification converts coal, or other carbon fuels, into synthesis gas that is either burned in a turbine to produce electricity… or turned into other products, like diesel oil, fertilizer and pipeline-quality natural gas. In most cases pollutants such as sulfur and mercury are stripped out after the fuel gas has been synthesized.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 07 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: General, Electric, Energy
Although the anticipated wave of baby boomer retirements is a concern for most every industry and business, it’s even worse for the electric power industry.
Nearly half of the critical positions in the industry are filled by people who could retire within five years.
Posted by Edward G. Lanza on 03 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Natural Gas, Energy, M&A
Dominion said Wednesday it’ll sell two gas utilities for $910 million. The Richmond, Va. electric and natural gas utility firm said Babcock & Brown Infrastructure Fund North America, a San Francisco-based infrastructure fund, will buy Dominion Peoples and Dominion Hope natural gas distribution companies. The deal is expected to close in 2009. Dominion plans to use all after-tax proceeds, expected to be approximately $675 million to reduce debt.
Welcome to Utility News, a law blog hosted by Saul Ewing LLP. Utility News is a source of information for individuals interested in public utilities and their regulation.
Edward G. Lanza, Editor
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