August / September 2019 TransActions Newsletter - GDS Associates, Inc

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Part II: FERC ROE Policy In A Flux 

What’s Happening and Why it Matters

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (“FERC” or the “Commission”) policy on Return on Equity (“ROE”) is in a flux following a proposal to drastically change how it determines just and reasonable ROEs. Part One of this two-part series outlined the details of the newly proposed framework which involves a change from a solitary reliance on the Discounted Cash Flow (“DCF”) method to using multiple analytical methods in determining a just and reasonable ROE. This article explains how this represents a major shift in policy and provide cautionary reminder that determining a just and reasonable rate requires a careful balance of investor and consumer interests. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Energy Efficiency in EUI

Over the last two and a half years, the Minnesota Department of Commerce (”Department”) completed a series of projects aimed at improving energy efficiency in the state’s Electric Utility Infrastructure (EUI). EUI is defined as utility-owned assets used to deliver electric energy to customers, which includes distribution, transmission, generation, and miscellaneous utility facilities. These projects created technical and policy tools to clarify opportunities and incentives to help utilities drive efficiency improvements of their infrastructure. Examples of opportunities include: low loss conductors, conservation voltage reduction, improved heat rates at generation facilities, and high efficiency transformers.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

GDS Hires New Director

We are pleased to announce that Rich Hasselman has joined GDS as a Managing Director in the Energy Efficiency Department.

Upcoming Webinars

September 10 Battery Energy Storage Systems

October 8 Wood Poles – Standards & Design

November 12 Application of Voltage Regulators 

Note: All webinars are recorded and are available for viewing post-presentation.