Open Access Transmission Research Articles

International power system transmission open access experience

Power system transmission open access (TOA) is continuing to change the traditional concepts and approaches to providing electric service in many nations. TOA is discussed within the context of regulated cost-of-service markets and fully competitive markets. TOA format, associated implementation issues, and international experiences are also presented. >

Looking for peace in the middle of a nervous breakdown

The U.S. electric power industry can have a relatively smooth transition to an era that is both competitive and efficient, if it deals with its two hardest problems - creating open-access regional transmission systems and putting the stranded investment issue behind it. Described are the barriers of jurisdictions, financial risk, consumer worries, and possible environmental loss and how these problems can be surmounted. Benefits to utilities, consumers, and the environment would be realized by increased competition. Included are aspects related to nuclear power plants and stranded investments.

Transmission access raises unresolved economic issues

The electric utility industry is in the process of gradual change from a fully regulated industry to one of partial deregulation. Instead of relying on regulation to achieve a fair and equitable price to the consumer for electric energy, the reliance is placed more and more on market forces, through competition, to provide wholesale energy at the best market price. Clearly, open transmission access is required to create a viable competitive wholesale market for new generation resources. This article describes four unresolved, or at least partially unresolved, issues associated with transmission access for wholesale wheeling. Wheeling has been defined as the use of a utility's transmission facilities to transmit power for other buyers and sellers. At least three parties are involved in a wheeling transaction: a seller, a buyer, and one or more wheeling utilities that transmit the power from the seller to the buyer. This article considers wholesale or bulk wheeling only, and does not consider retail wheeling. The four unresolved economic issues described in this article pertain to transmission access: actual cost of providing transmission services; methodology or methodologies used in evaluating the cost of wheeling; contract path versus the actual power flows of the wheel; and issues associated with the formation of transmission regions.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

International experience in transmission open access

International experience in transmission open access