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Article Archive

Climate Exposure

Collecting on GHG Damage Claims
F. William Brownell and Curtis D. Porterfield
A state supreme court ruled last fall that damage resulting from climate change allegedly caused by power plant emissions was “reasonably foreseeable,” and therefore litigation expenses were not covered under a general liability insurance policy. The ruling creates an unworkable standard and raises questions about insurance coverage for climate-change liabilities.
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Frequency Regulation

Not Just for Reliability Anymore
Bruce W. Radford, Public Utilities Fortnightly
In a recent order, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said that by paying the wrong price for the ancillary service known as frequency “regulation,” system operators have encouraged too many gas-fired turbines and other conventional fossil power plants to supply regulation service.
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What's Solar Really Worth?

Brian Taliaferro, SOLON Corp.
Requests for proposals to supply solar power facilities frequently specify prices to be stated in only one way—dollars per watt DC, or dollars per kilowatt-hour, for example. But a one-dimensional approach to pricing leads to skewed valuation, because different technologies and system designs produce value in different ways.
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Transmission Rate Incentives

Did FERC Jump the Gun?
Bruce W. Radford, Public Utilities Fortnightly
In an October order, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) trimmed the authorized rate incentive for the RITELine transmission project by one-third. The action prompted Commissioner Moeller to ask whether the commission is retreating from its incentive policy on needed transmission lines.
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Going Once ...

Asset options in a fast-moving market.
David J. Quiram, Andre Begosso and Robert Laurens, Accenture
Mergers and acquisitions can help companies balance their asset portfolios and improve their financial strength. But economic and regulatory forces are driving more buyers into the market, and the demand for attractive targets might soon outstrip the supply.
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