Product & Technology Reviews (PTR) are developed for Northwest electric utilities. EnergyIdeas Clearinghouse engineers review published literature for objective, independent test results. No primary testing was conducted by the reviewer for the preparation of this document. PTR factsheets describe the technology, discuss available data, and suggest additional testing needed to verify energy sav...

In this paper we explore the practical and welfare implications of a system of voluntary compliance within a market-based environmental regulation. The Substitution Provision of the SO2 emissions trading program allows the owner or operator of an affected electric utility unit to voluntarily designate a non-affected electric unit to become subject to all compliance requirements of affected unit...

This paper surveys the literature on the joint production of good and bad outputs. Recently, material balance has arisen as an issue in this literature as a restriction on the technology, which we also address. We use our preferred specification of joint production technology and estimate the efficiency of U.S. electric utilities in a network setting. This network allows to specify two subtechn...

We examine the design of regulatory policy to induce electric utilities to deliver the surplus-maximizing level of energy efficiency services, e∗. The rebound effect (whereby increased energy efficiency stimulates the demand for energy) typically renders revenue decoupling insufficient in this regard. The additional financial incentive required to induce e∗ is shown to vary with such factors as...

We explore the relation between the establishment of a regulatory agency and the performance of the electricity sector. We exploit a dataset comprising firmlevel information on a representative sample of 220 electric utilities from 51 development countries for the period 1985 to 2005. Our results indicate that regulatory agencies are associated with more efficient firms and with higher social w...

With the increased use of sensitive electronic circuitry, customers become more concerned about the electric power quality (PQ). In the new open-access and competitive power market, electricity consumers are in a unique position to demand a higher quality of service. The utilities or other power providers have to ensure a high quality of their service to remain competitive and retain/attract th...

This paper presents reliability evaluation techniques which are applied in distribution system planning studies and operation. Reliability of distribution systems is an important issue in power engineering for both utilities and customers. Reliability is a key issue in the design and operation of electric power distribution systems and load. Reliability evaluation of distribution systems has be...

Product & Technology Reviews (PTR) are developed for Northwest electric utilities. EnergyIdeas Clearinghouse engineers review published literature for objective, independent test results. No primary testing was conducted by the reviewer for the preparation of this document. PTR factsheets describe the technology, discuss available data, and suggest additional testing needed to verify energy sav...

The automation of the Utility Enterprise is changing; objects are in to stay. This paper examines how electric utilities will automate to meet the competitive market. Deregulation has not only reshaped the organizational structure, but it is also reshaping the implementation of automation. A Distribution Management System must now be viewed as part of a technical enterprise and must exchange da...

The Bush Administration has made the expansion of nuclear power generation a centerpiece of its domestic energy policy. However, the White House has not addressed the practical issue of how to overcome the nearly three-decade-long aversion among U.S. electric utilities to investing in new nuclear plants. In today's deregulating market, utilities will not build new nuclear power plants unless th...