An equal opportunity power market

As the House and Senate head to conference on the energy bill, the outlook for PUHCA reform and mandatory wholesale transmission access is excellent. During the opening months of 1991, the US Senate was debating the administration's proposal for a comprehensive national energy strategy. Reform of the Public Utilities Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA) was a controversial issue in that debate. Independent energy producers and others strongly supported reform but investor-owned utilities were sharply split on the issue. The Senate refused to consider transmission access, and it was the one issue which had the potential to unite the investor-owned utility community in opposition to PUHCA reform. Now, as we approach the mid-point of 1992, the Senate and the House have passed energy bills and are headed to conference to work out their differences. There is no longer effective opposition to PUHCA reform, and although the Senate would still prefer to avoid the issue, transmission access appears likely to be included in the final energy package. Energy legislation will almost certainly be enacted before the November elections and was expected possibly as early as June. This article addresses transmission access, transmission policies, voluntary transmission, independent power producers influence, the retail wheeling juggernaut, and Public Utilities Holding Company Act reform