Understanding Electric Power Systems

Technological advances and changes in government policy andregulation have altered the electric power industry in recent yearsand will continue to impact it for quite some time. Fully updatedwith the latest changes to regulation, structure, and technology, this new edition of Understanding Electric Power Systemsoffers a real-world view of the industry, explaining how itoperates, how it is structured, and how electricity is regulatedand priced. It includes extensive references for the reader andwill be especially useful to lawyers, government officials, regulators, engineers, and students, as well as the general public. The book explains the physical functioning of electric powersystems, the electric power business in today's environment, andthe related institutions, including recent changes in the roles ofthe Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North AmericanReliability Company. Significant changes that are affecting theindustry are covered in this new edition, including:
* The expanded role of the federal government in the planning andoperation of the nation's electric utilities
* New energy laws and a large number of FERC regulationsimplementing these laws
* Concerns over global warming and potential impacts on theelectric industry
* Pressures for expansion of the electric grid and theimplementation of „smart-grid“ technologies
* The growing importance of various energy-storage technologiesand renewable energy sources
* New nuclear generation technologies
* The 2009 economic stimulus package