Best Utility Named
South Carolina Electric & Gas, principal subsidiary of SCANA Corporation
scored highest in the nation in customer satisfaction for electric service to
large customers in the eighth annual survey by TQS Research. The survey measures
reliability, power quality, pricing/rate structure, energy efficiency, and account
representative performance. The company serves 540,000 electric consumers in
South Carolina and more than a million gas customers in SC, NC, and GA. TQS
Pres. Joe Ellis said SCE&G did an excellent job of using last year's survey
results for benchmarking. "They identified areas for improvement and pursued
a plan of action."
Nevada Utilities: Rate Boost Needed to Recover $1.2 Billion
Peaks in short term purchases last summer coupled with rate caps on retail sales
prices now threaten utilities with skyrocketing accounts payables to suppliers
unless the state approves a gigantic rate increase by next Spring. Nevada Power,
which serves Las Vegas needs $870 million and Reno-based Sierra Pacific Power
needs $200 million. The state PUC is required to adjust rates so they approximately
cover future costs in addition to the adjustment needed to cover past expenses
over budget. The cost can be spread over three years, but the full impact will
not be known for several months after the official filing that was due Oct.
1.
Montana Power First Utility to Leave Electric Business
Shareholders approved the sale of the company's utility to NorthWestern Corporation
for $1.1 billion, paving the way for its transition to Touch America, a telecom
services company based on a new fiber optics network being completed. Closing
is expected in the fourth quarter. The Montana Public Service Commission still
must determine that the purchased utility will remain a fit, willing, and able
electric and natural gas provider under the new owners. Bob Gannon, Chair said,
"With completion of this sale, Touch America will have $1.6 billion in
assets, cash in the bank, and no debt. We believe the company will be profitable
and have a fully funded business plan for 2002 and 2003."
Reliant ESCO Has a Deal For You
Reliant Energy Solutions of Houston, TX now provides an Internet-based application
called Energy Commander (TM) that enables facility managers to track energy
usage and make load adjustments and upgrades to reduce overall costs. In addition,
the system allows users that have their own distributed generation plants to
manage the equipment from anywhere there is a connection to the World Wide Web.
Pres. and CEO Jim Ajello said, "While Energy Commander (TM) is available
as a stand-alone product, we use it as the backbone for our total energy management
service." You can arrange a demonstration or get more info from William
Symmes at 713-207-6691.