The states are increasingly viewed as emerging
laboratories
of change in energy. This is particularly true
with the federal government's failure to
forge a clear national energy policy. There is a growing consensus that
keeping the
lights on, developing renewable energy to the maximum of its potential,
developing
new nuclear generation and clean coal technology, and creating a grid to
stitch it all
together, will take an unprecedented level of spending. By one estimate,
developed
by the Edison Electric Institute, the power industry will be spending $75
billion
a year this year and next and there are indications those figures may be
climbing.
Sitting in judgment of many of these investments will be state utility
regulators.
Given the frequent turnover in their ranks -- their average tenure is
about four
years -- will they know what needs to get done and in what order? To
discuss these
and other major issues, EnergyBiz recently sat down with eight
state regulators.
One participant, James Y. Kerr II, recently left the North Carolina
commission
after serving seven years. Their comments, edited for style and length,
follow.
The states are increasingly viewed as emerging
laboratories
of change in energy. This is particularly true
with the federal government's failure to
forge a clear national energy policy. There is a growing consensus that
keeping the
lights on, developing renewable energy to the maximum of its potential,
developing
new nuclear generation and clean coal technology, and creating a grid to
stitch it all
together, will take an unprecedented level of spending. By one estimate,
developed
by the Edison Electric Institute, the power industry will be spending $75
billion
a year this year and next and there are indications those figures may be
climbing.
Sitting in judgment of many of these investments will be state utility
regulators.
Given the frequent turnover in their ranks -- their average tenure is
about four
years -- will they know what needs to get done and in what order? To
discuss these
and other major issues, EnergyBiz recently sat down with eight
state regulators.
One participant, James Y. Kerr II, recently left the North Carolina
commission
after serving seven years. Their comments, edited for style and length,
follow.
The states are increasingly viewed as emerging
laboratories
of change in energy. This is particularly true
with the federal government's failure to
forge a clear national energy policy. There is a growing consensus that
keeping the
lights on, developing renewable energy to the maximum of its potential,
developing
new nuclear generation and clean coal technology, and creating a grid to
stitch it all
together, will take an unprecedented level of spending. By one estimate,
developed
by the Edison Electric Institute, the power industry will be spending $75
billion
a year this year and next and there are indications those figures may be
climbing.
Sitting in judgment of many of these investments will be state utility
regulators.
Given the frequent turnover in their ranks -- their average tenure is
about four
years -- will they know what needs to get done and in what order? To
discuss these
and other major issues, EnergyBiz recently sat down with eight
state regulators.
One participant, James Y. Kerr II, recently left the North Carolina
commission
after serving seven years. Their comments, edited for style and length,
follow.
New Era, New Rules
The states are increasingly viewed as emerging laboratories of change in
energy. This is particularly true with the federal government's failure to
forge a clear national energy policy.
There is a growing consensus that
keeping the
lights on, developing renewable energy to the maximum of its potential,
developing
new nuclear generation and clean coal technology, and creating a grid to
stitch it all
together, will take an unprecedented level of spending. By one estimate,
developed
by the Edison Electric Institute, the power industry will be spending $75
billion
a year this year and next and there are indications those figures may be
climbing.
Sitting in judgment of many of these investments will be state utility
regulators.
Given the frequent turnover in their ranks -- their average tenure is about
four
years -- will they know what needs to get done and in what order?
To discuss
these
and other major issues, EnergyBiz recently sat down with eight state
regulators.
One participant, James Y. Kerr II, recently left the North Carolina
commission
after serving seven years. Their comments, edited for style and length,
follow.
For the full article go to:
http://energycentral.fileburst.com/EnergyBizOnline/2008-6-nov-dec/FA_New_Era.pdf
|