Ipps

In the continuing string of unpaid power bills that sits at the heart of California’s lingering electricity crisis, the state association of independent power producers last Wednesday asked the state transmission grid operator, Cal-ISO, to pay up. The nonprofit public benefits organization said that it is “working on it.”

The creation of a seamless, multi-state energy market between New York, New England and the Mid-Atlantic states is but one of several steps utilities and state and federal agencies should consider implementing to make sure that the Empire State avoids an energy crisis similar to California’s, says the association that represents New York’s independent power producers.

The creation of a seamless, multi-state energy market between New York, New England and the mid-Atlantic states is but one of several steps utilities and state and federal agencies should consider implementing to make sure that the Empire State avoids an energy crisis similar to California’s, says the association that represents New York’s independent power producers.

Gas traders and independent power producers won an early roundin a long, many-sided contest developing before the National EnergyBoard over costs of excess capacity created by the Canadianpipeline expansion wave.

Gas traders and independent power producers won an early roundin a long, many-sided contest developing before the National EnergyBoard over costs of excess capacity created by the Canadianpipeline expansion wave.

While Chairman James Hoecker last week expressed doubt FERC could provide any real “immediate” relief to California electric customers, the state’s two largest investor-owned utilities called on the Commission to move quickly to rescue the malfunctioning wholesale power market, saying it could not stand on the sidelines as the nation’s first retail electric experiment teeters on the brink of disaster. (See related report, this issue).

Despite being labeled the main cause of California’s powermarket woes by the Governor, independent power producers say theyare willing to cooperate with any investigation by the FederalEnergy Regulatory Commission (FERC) into the wholesale powermarket.

More power generation, more competitive choices for customersand less regulation — not more — are the keys to limiting powerprice increases, according to independent power producers,attempting to diffuse growing public outrage over price increases.

New York’s utilities, independent power producers, marketers andlarge energy consumers have banded together for the first time toshow their support for Governor George Pataki’s plan to restructurethe state’s energy tax system and give back about $150 million/yearin gas and electricity tax revenue.