Public Power Utility Research Articles

Bolstering employee relations in a public sector undertaking: validation of CODE and PLE model

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between employer and employees in a public power sector undertaking through the validation of CODE (compensation, organizational justice, dispute resolution and employee empowerment) and PLE (workforce productivity, employee loyalty and employee engagement) model.Design/methodology/approachA hypothesized research model was developed and validated by using structural equation modeling (AMOS 20). In total, 303 responses were accumulated by administering a structured questionnaire among the employees of a state-owned power sector.FindingsThe results revealed that a harmonious climate of employee relations is prevailing in the public power utility. Additionally, the findings suggest that the CODE and PLE model of employee relations are found to be positive and significant by investigating the impact of compensation, organizational justice, dispute resolution and employee empowerment as the predictors; and workforce productivity, employee loyalty and employee engagement as the critical outcomes of employee relations.Practical implicationsThe study recommends some plausible insights for practitioners, decision-makers and policy formulators to develop strategies and policies for nurturing congenial employee relations and also to cultivate a facilitative work environment for generating contented and competent manpower.Originality/valueValidation of CODE and PLE model of employee relations in the new perspective of power sector undertaking is an epoch-making and novel contribution that offers significant empirical evidence to the extant literature. Moreover, the exploration of employer–employee relations in this context is a unique and innovative effort toward existing research.

Design, implementation and performance analysis of an off- grid solar powered system for a Nigerian household

Solar panel converts direct current obtained from the sun into an alternating current which is often used in various applications. Photovoltaic (PV) power generation technology is used as a stand-alone system to bridge the power demand requirement due to increasing energy consumption. This paper aimed at presenting the design, implementation, and performance analysis of an off- grid solar power system for a Nigerian household. A comprehensive design was done on Solar PV systems, parts and components, and the principle of operation. Average solar irradiance of the location was obtained from data collation center at Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). The method utilizes the development of block diagram which shows the component layout and their connections and a flowchart which shows the procedure of achieving the objectives of the research. Battery efficiency, PV current measurement, current profile display and commissioning of the installed PV system formed the results. Thereafter, Implementation and performance analysis was carried out. The load demand assessment shows that power required was 23,820 Wh per day at maximum and 11,260 Wh per day when diversity factor was applied (Table 1). Consequently, a 3500VA inverter was selected with a battery size of 800AH.The test result showed that with a load of 11,260 Wh the device supplied energy for about 24hours uninterrupted. Therefore, off grid arrangement reduces the dependency on grid and allows users to derive maximum satisfaction without having relied on public power utilities.•Obtaining annual solar radiation data from NiMet and determine the load estimation.•Set up experiment that determine; Battery efficiency, solar panel required and connection mode suitable to achieve the desired current rating, Inverter rating, Charge controller as well appropriate protective devices.•Installation of project compartments and the commissioning tests by categories of load injection.

Microgrid decision-making by public power utilities in the United States: A critical assessment of adoption and technological profiles

The paper provides a critical review of microgrid development in the U.S., with an emphasis on the rationales for adoption and the technology configurations that are evident in large U.S. public power utilities. To do so, this study outlines specific historical and contemporary developments for the technology. It then tests deployment objectives from the literature for resonance with the adoption logic of large public power utilities that have community microgrids. Four conceptual models are identified, representing differing rationale for adoption and technology profiles. Broadly, this research finds that public power utilities with microgrid technologies have taken an incremental design approach that has not typically started with an explicit plan to island the system. In evaluating microgrid designs, the utilities leverage existing assets and respond to community priorities. The study also highlights the critical role of learning as a utility objective and as justification for technology investments. Clean/renewable policies play a more significant role than microgrid-specific policies for the public power utilities that are studied. Additionally, the study finds that two market structures factor in how microgrid deployment is shaped, namely market rules that allow users to avoid costs through load management; and market rules that facilitate the sale of energy and grid services in multilateral markets Finally, the study indicates that microgrid technology is currently reframing how distributed energy resources are conceived and interact with greater system-related value. Future research could explore additional types of business models to shed light on further values in existing circumstances and across multiple scales.

Indigenous community participation in resource development decision-making: Practitioner perceptions of legal and voluntary arrangements

Indigenous nations worldwide are working with and lobbying private and public resource developers to ensure meaningful engagement in decisions tied to resource development in their territories. The diversity of approaches for engagement can be framed along a continuum, with voluntary practices at one end and legal responsibilities at the other. Given this continuum, the roles and responsibilities of various actors involved have become blurred, which leads to poor practice. In an effort to bring clarity, the aim of this research was to understand the distinctions between voluntary practices and legal responsibilities among key actors, identify how key actors understood their different roles and responsibilities, and explain the implications of these differences. In partnership with a First Nation and a public power utility in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, we employed semi-structured interviews and group workshops with Indigenous, industry, and government actors who participate in environmental management and resource development decisions. We found that actors had distinct motivations for interacting with one another, that perceptions of voluntary practices and legal responsibilities aligned among some participants but not among others, and that participants were indeed confused about their roles and responsibilities in relation to legal requirements and voluntary engagement activities. Furthermore, we learned that clarifying the intended roles of those involved in resource development decisions would be insufficient for improving practice. This is because improved clarity may not address underlying mistrust of government by Indigenous people, or may not be possible where rights and interests are intertwined under a broad conception of Indigenous rights. Findings also suggest the need for government and industry to work with Indigenous nations as self-determining entities, rather than imposing unilateral processes upon them. Consequently, more serious scrutiny, understanding and action is needed by government and industry when employing and assessing voluntary actions and legal measures for Indigenous inclusion in resource development decision-making processes.

Enhancing The Privacy of Smart-Grid Infrastructure – A Network Security Perspective

The proposed smart grid infrastructure aims to make use of the existing public networks such as internet for data communication between consumer premises to the public power utility network. The smart-grid adopts smart-meters which basically collect vast amount of data to provide a holistic view of the connected load behavior and preferences pattern related to power and water consumption. The smart-grids provide benefits to the utilities and consumers alike. For utilities the benefits are real time data collection, ease of power management, and reduced personnel requirement. The benefits for the users on the other hand include availability of real time usage data, providing information on ways to minimize power consumption, monetary savings and so on. Since, the smart-grid uses existing public networks the utilities do not have the burden of installing any new infrastructure (except for installing the smart-meters), thus an added advantage. But, the downside of using the public network is susceptibility to a variety of network attacks, if not guarded well against. This paper talks about the various network security vulnerabilities that exist and the measures to patch the same before employing in the smart grid networks.

Enhancing The Privacy of Smart-Grid Infrastructure – A Network Security Perspective

The proposed smart grid infrastructure aims to make use of the existing public networks such as internet for data communication between consumer premises to the public power utility network. The smart-grid adopts smart-meters which basically collect vast amount of data to provide a holistic view of the connected load behavior and preferences pattern related to power and water consumption. The smart-grids provide benefits to the utilities and consumers alike. For utilities the benefits are real time data collection, ease of power management, and reduced personnel requirement. The benefits for the users on the other hand include availability of real time usage data, providing information on ways to minimize power consumption, monetary savings and so on. Since, the smart-grid uses existing public networks the utilities do not have the burden of installing any new infrastructure (except for installing the smart-meters), thus an added advantage. But, the downside of using the public network is susceptibility to a variety of network attacks, if not guarded well against. This paper talks about the various network security vulnerabilities that exist and the measures to patch the same before employing in the smart grid networks.

Exploring the Privacy Issues of Smart-Grid Infrastructure – A Network Security Perspective

The proposed smart grid infrastructure aims to make use of the existing public networks such as internet for data communication between consumer premises to the public power utility network. The smart-grid adopts smart-meters which basically collect vast amount of data to provide a holistic view of the connected load behavior and preferences pattern related to power and water consumption. The smart-grids provide benefits to the utilities and consumers alike. For utilities the benefits are real time data collection, ease of power management, and reduced personnel requirement. The benefits for the users on the other hand include availability of real time usage data, providing information on ways to minimize power consumption, monetary savings and so on. Since, the smart-grid uses existing public networks the utilities do not have the burden of installing any new infrastructure (except for installing the smart-meters), thus an added advantage. But, the downside of using the public network is susceptibility to a variety of network attacks, if not guarded well against. This paper talks about the various network security vulnerabilities that exist and the measures to patch the same before employing in the smart grid networks.

Positive energy practice in Lubuskie District - a case study

In this article “Zielona Góra” Public Power Utility EDF Group (EC) is the first to have abandoned production of electricity and warmth on the basis of coal mine and introduces natural gas. Investing in oil and gas boilers was the revolution in the company and a good example of positive energy and environmental practice. The use of new and less emissive materials (natural gas, heating oil) in the production also affects the local society and the city itself. Following “Zielona Góra” Heat and Power Plant, another institution introduces the clean technology. It is PGE Plant in Gorzów Wielkopolski for which a gas and steam block was put into operation. It has ensured energy independence in Lubuskie District. The aim of the article is to present the comparative LCA of energy production which is a tool of environmental resource management in enterprises in microeconomic terms. In macroeconomic terms it can be the element of the energy policy in a region or even a country. Achieved by the largest EC in the district an ecological effect is compatible with National Spatial Development Concept 2030 and other strategic documents determining the framework of economic, social and environmental development of the district.

Residential Demand‐Charge Proposals Vary Across the United States

The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) has an established history of energy policy research and analysis, beginning with development of the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) in 1995. The center has expanded these efforts over the years and now publishes several quarterly report series focused on tracking policy changes related to solar, grid modernization, energy storage, and electric vehicles. One of these report series—The 50 States of Solar—examines distributed solar policy and rate‐design changes under consideration across the country, specifically looking at changes proposed by states, investor‐owned utilities, and large public power utilities (those with at least 100,000 customers).

Reforms for the expansion of electricity access and rural electrification in small island developing states

Small island developing states face unique constraints to the provision of electricity services in rural areas, given their geographical features, and the small scale of government bureaucracies and markets. In small island developing states situated in the Pacific Ocean, these factors have resulted in some of the lowest electrification rates in the world. Seventy percent of Pacific islanders are without access to power; a figure that is equivalent to access rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite higher income levels in the Pacific. Past efforts by government and aid organizations to expand electricity access in rural areas have achieved negligible success, given regulatory frameworks that do not encourage grid extension, and the absence of effective institutional frameworks for operation and maintenance of decentralized systems. This paper argues that the binding constraint to rural electrification in Pacific small island developing states is the failure of regulatory frameworks to establish a viable business model for investment. Regulatory reform is needed that creates commercial incentives for private and public sector power utilities to provide power in rural areas, both through extension of electricity networks and decentralized power provision. Regulatory reform could also address past problems with the operation and maintenance of decentralized systems.

The Importance of, and Outlook for, Municipal Bonds and Public Power

As smaller businesses, public power utilities have a critical need for access to capital. While alternatives such as direct pay bonds can be useful as supplemental financing tools, they have not proven to be a suitable substitute for municipal bonds. Proposals to limit, replace, or repeal the current federal tax exclusion for municipal bonds have serious shortcomings and all would increase borrowing costs for public power utilities.

Public Power by the Numbers

Public power utilities are owned by units of state or local government, and range from small distribution utilities serving as few as 25 customers to large, vertically integrated utilities serving more than a million customers. There are significant regional variations in public power's generating capacity and fuel sources, and many systems have formed joint action agencies to handle power supply and other functions.

Markets in Name Only: Mandatory Capacity Markets and their Adverse Impact on Load-Serving Entities

Recent rule changes in the mandatory capacity markets in the PJM Interconnection and the New England Independent System Operator will impede the development of new resources and adversely impact the ability of public power utilities to self-supply their own load.

Public Power's Mutual Aid Network

Public power utilities have been invoking mutual aid for quite some time, either through a handshake agreement or signed document. Now, the entire public power community is working to create a national mutual aid network that will assist with storms or other disruptions to electricity.

The Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company and public hydraulic power systems in Australia

This paper begins by briefly outlining the origin and development of hydraulic power equipment and systems in Britain that led to the public utility manifestations in Hull, London and Liverpool in 1876-1885. The entrepreneurial formation of the Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company in 1888 and its early success as a public utility for motive power applications for the City of Melbourne is then described. From enjoying an initial virtual monopoly as a motive power utility, the company faced increasing competition from the development of electricity distribution for both light and power from 1900, but continued to operate profitably. In 1925, in accordance with the original enabling legislation, the assets and business of the company reverted to the City Corporation. With some restructuring of the central plant, the Council continued to operate the hydraulic power service until 1967. A brief description of the ultimately longer-lived sister system in Sydney follows, plus mention of the attempts by the same promoters to establish a scheme for the City of Brisbane. The concluding section reflects on the brief “window of opportunity” for the establishment of public hydraulic power utilities, but once established the schemes, including those in Melbourne and Sydney, continued in service well into the third quarter of the 20th Century.

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner

TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE Book Reviews 493 hoping for more analysis of the interaction between water technology and policy and law, however, Water in New Mexico leaves us still wanting more. Karen L. Smith Dr. Smith is the manager of the Research Archives of the Salt River Project, a federal reclamation project and public power utility serving the metropolitan Phoenix area. She is the author of The Magnificent Experiment: Building the Salt River Reclamation Project and “Water, Water Everywhere,” in Arizona at 75: The Next 25 Years, and is currently working on a book on water development and policy in Arizona with David Introcaso. Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water. By Marc Reisner. New York: Viking Penguin, 1986. Pp. viii + 582; illustra­ tions, bibliography, index. $22.95 (cloth); $8.95 (paper). When the United States expanded across the continent in the 19th century, its landed empire claimed the arid expanses of the American West. Refusing to accept the limitations that aridity placed on the region, American enterprise used science, technology, and heavy cap­ ital investment to overcome the obvious environmental restrictions that “the Great American Desert” placed on agricultural and industrial development. The result was western irrigation, extended ditch water delivery systems, big dam projects, and massive urban growth during and after World War II. The story is impressive. Some have not been so impressed. John Wesley Powell, in his Report on the Arid Lands of the American West (1878), laid the foundation for a “desertification critique” of western development. At mid-20th cen­ tury, western historian Walter Prescott Webb offended regional boosterism and local chambers of commerce when he declared in “The American West, Perpetual Mirage” [Harper’s, May 1957) that the West would be forever limited by the desert. Now the most contemporary restatement of this view is found in a highly critical piece of historical journalism bearing the provocative title Cadillac Desert. Like its fore­ runners, the book asserts that water was and is the key to western development. The West achieved great water projects not by itself but by campaigning for assistance from Congress, finally receiving the Bureau of Reclamation in 1902. Herein was the beginning of many a problem for the West and the nation that involved fraud, needless expenditure of monies, and, most distressing, the costly development of cheap (subsidized) water supplies for the rich and powerful. Marc Reisner’s muckraking view of the career and ambitions of the Bureau of Reclamation in western waters also extends to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The two agencies pursued unconscionable rivalries at the expense of the public safety and the public purse. He contends: “No one will ever know how many ill-conceived water proj­ 494 Book Reviews TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE ects were built by the Bureau and the Corps simply because the one agency thought the other would build it first” (p. 209). The story portrayed here is not new. It is just stated in a more strident and certainly less balanced way than scholarly studies that carry the burden of footnotes. Both the value and the weakness of this book are in its concep­ tualization. It is commendable to expose careerism, bureaucratic waste, and environmental degradation. But it is also hollow to suggest that man should stand idle in nature’s imperfect world as is suggested by the observation that “. . . God had left the perfection and completion of California to the Bureau of Reclamation” (p. 277). In this same state the bureau learned its most valuable lesson, in the Owens Valley in the struggle between farmers and the city of Los Angeles: small farmers do not count, but large farmers and growing desert cities are the masters to be served. Not only do concepts fit the muckraking framework of this writer, so do the personalities of Reclamation, especially the longtime bureau director Floyd Dominy, who is described at the end of his career as “a zealot, blind to injustice, locked into a mad-dog campaign against the environmental movement. . .” (p. 249). Unlike other works on the subject, the writing in this book makes reclamation history contagious and infectious. It holds the attention of the reader like a newsstand scandal sheet...

Projection an Duality Techniques in Economic Equilibrium Models

A decomposition scheme especially suitable for solving sectorial economic equilibrium models is presented. The approach can be classified as projection/feasible directions, but unlike the adaptive demand procedures, we project onto the space of production (or distribution) variables as opposed to projecting the whole problem onto the space of demand variables. The advantage is to work implicitly with a differentiable master program; yet the subprograms are easily solved by duality techniques. Some computational experiments related to two typical situations are also presented: 1) a dynamic and nonconvex case as it arises with one producer (a public power utility) in a situation of marginal cost pricing and 2) a spatial price equilibrium model representing the competitive behavior of many producers and distribution agents.

Remote outage location by means of very-high-frequency radio systems

During the past half century, the services provided by public power utilities have changed from desirable luxuries to absolute necessities. Electric power, water, and petroleum products are transported over long distances to satisfy widespread consumer requirements with a high degree of dependability. It is this very dependability which has made the occurrence of rare, but unavoidable, outages all the more serious. Rapid detection and location of the fault can minimize the loss and hazards.