|
Power Loss: The Origins of Deregulation and Restructuring in the American Electric Utility...
Product Description In the late 1990s, the formerly staid and monopolistic electric utility industry entered an era of freewheeling competition and deregulation, allowing American consumers to buy electricity from any company offering it. In this book, Richard F. Hirsh explains how and why this radical restructuring has occurred. Hirsh starts by describing the successful campaign waged by utility managers in the first decade of the twentieth century to protect their industry from competition. The regulated system that emerged had the unanticipated consequence of endowing utility managers with great political and economic power. Seven decades later, a series of largely unanticipated events, including technological stagnation in traditional generating equipment, the 1973 energy crisis, and the rise of the environmental movement, undermined the managers' control of the system. New players, such as academics, environmental advocates, politicians, and potential competitors, wrested control from power company managers by challenging utilities' standing as "natural monopolies" and by questioning whether their firms provided universal benefits. In other words, the once-closed system came under increasing pressure to transform itself. Hirsh follows the flow of power as this transformation occurred. He also looks at the relationship between technological change and regulation, showing how innovations such as cogeneration and renewable energy technologies stimulated questions about the value of government oversight of the system. And he shows how the increasing prominence of ideas such as conservation, energy efficiency, and free markets helped propel the system toward open competition. Though the new electric utility system is still in its infancy, Hirsh's perceptive account of its birth will help readers think more rationally about its future. Book Info Author shows how the increasing prominence of ideas such as conservation, energy efficiency, and free markets helped propel the system toward open competition. Softcover. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Reader Reviews This work has an ambitious mission, to shed light on the "power loss" of the electric utility, if you would excuse the pun - powers that be. Since the 1960s, a myriad of factors have lead to their partial downfall - allies of their own gravediggers. Power Loss suffers from three basic problems. First, it only follows events up to 1996, which is just when this industry began to really change to its very foundation. At the end of the book, restructuring is on the verge of happening in California - which is a real problem even today. Power Loss misses out on what may have been the real breakthrough in terms of the deregulation happening in California. Next, the book is both too long and too short and does not spend enough time focusing on how decisions are actually made at regulatory commissions. Lastly, from an economist's perspective, the book falls short. Economists see things from a monetary perspective and would have really liked to see more in this area. However, the linchpin of the book is really the examination of PURPA - and that makes this book worth all the money. Miguel Llora Comment | | (Report this)
|
 |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
Current Page: engineeringbookmonster > Circuits and Systems > Power Loss: The Origins of Deregulation and Restructuring in the American Electric Utility... Try the Arcspider search for hard to find Circuits and Systems texts and references. Locate authoritative works by top researchers and authors in Circuits and Systems and other science and engineering fields. Our database includes a huge collection of tools for the practicing engineer or student. Find the latest edition of a textbook, specification or an obscure periodical - and buy at a discount!
NOTE: All prices, specifications, and availability Copyright © 2008, engineeringbookmonster.com info@engineeringbookmonster.com Privacy Policy |
|||
