• FEATURE STORY:  BPL's getting really hot in two major states

• Strategic presses FERC on New York ISO credit reform

• New York's power markets up almost 100,000 from `04

Strategic presses FERC on
New York ISO credit reform

Strategic Energy and the Small Customer Marketing Coalition want the New York ISO to move faster on its netting bilaterals project.
     The project would let load-serving entities lower credit costs by giving them more options to net bilateral contracts against real-time load obligation.
     Strategic claims the ISO is ignoring a March FERC order telling the ISO to implement the plan as soon as possible.
     But the ISO argues that FERC specifically declined to set a timetable in its March order, leaving it to the stakeholder process ...

New York's power markets
up almost 100,000 from `04

That's nearly half a million customers shopping in June.
     The PSC in August of last year set out its vision of competition-friendly markets that provided choices to residential and large customers.
     It had charged utilities to come up with programs that promoted customer choice ideally mimicking Orange & Rockland's pioneering plan.
     O&R still leads the state with more than 31% of its customers shopping.
     That's 42% of O&R's load ...

Virginia regulators short
on faith in competition

While American Electric Power’s move into PJM in October and Dominion Virginia Power’s in May were “watershed events” it hasn’t made a difference yet in retail markets.
     The delay in moving the state’s utilities into organized markets is one of the factors many blamed for competition’s slow development, the State Corporation Commission reported this month to Gov Mark Warner and lawmakers (RT, 9/7).
     Other factors that discourage shopping include Virginia’s traditionally low rates and a rate freeze extended through 2010 last year by the General Assembly.
     Despite a steep rise in fuel and purchased power costs utilities pass along despite the caps, the SCC noted, marketers have “little margin” where they can compete ...

California PUC votes against Proposition 80

Would create unneeded authority, limit ability to deal with problems
     California's PUC voted unanimously to oppose Proposition 80.
     "Proposition 80 is bad for consumers and the environment," said PUC President Michael Peevey.
     "The commission does not need additional statutory authority to continue ensuring reliable and reasonably priced electricity."
     He found it to be overly proscriptive and complicated.
     Proposition 80 would eliminate flexibility needed to make changes in the electricity market structure if conditions change in the future, said Peevey ...

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