Policy Review

Examination of recent policy and regulatory initiatives

• Germany's Nuclear Power Phase-Out: Implications for the transmission grid

  August 1, 2011
  The aftereffects of the recent Japanese nuclear disaster are being felt strongly beyond the country's borders and will remain for a long time to come.

• The Issue of Eminent Domain: Balancing social and economic interests

  July 1, 2011
  Land acquisition for infrastructure projects, including electricity transmission lines, has always been contentious. The issue of eminent domain, whereby the state...

• India's Transmission Pricing Policy: Open access reforms take a step forward

  June 1, 2011
  The transmission pricing reforms in India are slowly inching closer to implementation. A major step was taken in April 2011 with the Indian electricity regulator...

• Germany's New Grid Expansion Initiatives: Expedite renewable energy integration

  May 1, 2011
  As Germany moves forward with plans to decommission its nuclear plants, the issue of grid expansion to accommodate larger amounts of renewable energy has taken...

• EU's Third Energy Package Takes Effect: Move towards single energy market

  April 1, 2011
  The European Union's (EU) Third Legislative Package on Energy formally came into force last month. The legislation ushers in new rules for the further...

• FERC's new approach to RoE: Toughens stance on granting incentives for projects

  March 1, 2011
  The electricity transmission sector in the US has been receiving significant attention in the last few years, given the role it plays in achieving the country's energy...

• Open Access Transmission Regulation in India: Interstate level implemented

  February 1, 2011
  Transparent and non-discriminatory access to electricity transmission networks is critical for attracting investments in the power sector. The Indian federal regulator Central...

• MISO's New Transmission Cost Allocation Strategy: Grid upgradation made affordable

  January 1, 2011
  The electricity transmission industry is constantly grappling with the controversial issue of cost allocation among grid users. The issue has assumed greater magnitude...

• Energy 2020: EU's strategy to achieve climate and energy goals

  December 1, 2010
  The European Union (EU) acknowledges that a competitive, sustainable and secure energy sector will play a crucial role in continued economic growth of the block.

• Towards an Internal EU Electricity Market: EGREG brings out guidelines on CACM

  November 1, 2010
  The European Union (EU) has repeatedly emphasised the importance of a robust interconnected transmission infrastructure in developing a single internal electricity market.

• Meeting UK's renewable goals: Ofgem reviews transmission charging

  October 1, 2010
  Will the UK be able to achieve its ambitious target of meeting 15 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020? The answer depends on how rapidly it is...

• Case for Energy Storage: California surges ahead with legislation

  September 1, 2010
  California, it appears, is pursuing the most aggressive carbon policy in the US. The state's law stipulates a 20 per cent renewable portfolio standard to be achieved by 2010.

• India's New Pricing Regulations: Right signals for network expansion

  August 1, 2010
  During the last one year, transmission pricing and tariffs have been topics of serious debate and discussion in the Indian power sector. This culminated in the passage...

• Europe's Renewable Energy Ambitions: Financial crisis playing spoilsport?

  July 1, 2010
  A European Commission directive binds the member states into meeting 20 per cent of their final energy consumption through renewable energy sources by 2020.

• ACER: A step forward in EU's energy regulation framework

  June 1, 2010
  One of the focal elements of European Union's (EU) Third Energy Package of 2009 - the unbundling of some of the most reluctant energy giants - is already evolving.

• International Energy Regulators' Cooperation: Regulatory best practices

  May 1, 2010
  A quiet development in the latter half of 2009 has the potential to influence electricity transmission and the regulatory structure that underpins it. This was the formation of the...

• Building New Transmission: Who bears the cost?

  April 1, 2010
  “Who pays?” This is the controversial question that dominates policy debates over transmission expansion in the US. The issue has assumed greater significance as more renewable...

• Transmission Project Approval in Alberta: Lacks confidence in regulatory process

  March 1, 2010
  When and how should a government intervene when the perceived lack of investment in adequate transmission infrastructure is hampering economic or other policy goals?

• Long-term sustainable energy supplies: UK reviews policy and regulatory options

  February 1, 2010
  The energy markets of the UK have for long been held to be a model of successful liberalisation and much of the credit goes to the nimble power and gas regulator Ofgem...

• Global Winds of Change: Power grids face a whole new set of rules

  January 1, 2010
  Electric power transmission grids, once considered to be a staid and low-risk business with no uncertainties, are currently in the midst of several changes.