American Electric System – Are We Nationalized?

Serendipity – is when you find something of value when you were looking for something else. What we found this time could be a Lulu!!

We were looking for an existing path, if any, that might lead from Canada to New York City to deliver lowest-cost hydropower to the “Big Apple.” The first thing to find would be the parts of the famous “grid” connecting the various utilities around the nation – particularly in the northeast.

A lesson learned from the “blackouts” of 1965, 1977 and 2003 is that an adequate and reliable grid does not exist. Not yet - although one is promised (for some future date).

What we did learn at first gave us hope but on further investigation brought us up sharply:
In 2000 a British firm, National Grid plc (NG) came across the pond to enter the U.S. market. NG is an international network utility with principle activities in the regulated electricity and natural gas industries, according to its advertising.

We thought that since they operated the entire grid in Britain, they might be able to get our gird operating on a truly “national” basis. So we welcomed National Grid USA.

Now, however, it has become clear that much bigger goals are in the NG eyes and the fact that deregulation has taken place in the US has made it possible for expansion into almost (if not real) monopolistic efforts.

We have found the NG now owns Electric utilities in 5 states, Gas utilities in 4 states and transmission systems serving 13 states, all, so far, east of the Mississippi.

NG operates Britain’s entire grid as well as that of Scotland. It is reported also to have interests in Germany and Australia.

National Grid USA became the 3rd largest energy supplier in the U.S. in 2006 when it acquired KeySpan, its fifth U.S. takeover since emigrating in 2000.

When authorizing the KeySpan purchase, the NY State Public Service Commission ruled that NG could not retain the large generating plant at Ravenswood, Queens, NY. So NG sold it to TransCanada’s US subsidiary.

There is more at issue here than just the “national grid.” The name itself is greatly misleading and everyone should learn that NG is not our national grid.

National or International, who’s in charge? Stay tuned for details