We’re still talking about National Grid USA and today we are starting to list all their operations in the USA – that we are aware of; and reviewing a few steps taken by NG that required them to step back.
Electric Utilities Owned
Massachusetts Electric Company (MA)
Niagara Mohawk Power (NY)
Nantucket Electric Company (MA)
Granite State Electric Company (NH)
New England Power Company (VT)
Narragansett Electric Company (RI)
Gas Utilities Owned
Colonial Gas Company (Massachusetts)
Boston Gas Company (MA)
Energy North Natural Gas, Inc (NH)
Brooklyn Union Gas Company (NY)
Niagara Mohawk Power Corp (NY)
KeySpan Gas East Corp (Long Island NY)
Rhode Island-Gas (RI)
Power Plants Owned
LIPA – 11 plants previously owned by KeySpan
New York City – former Con Ed plants provide 25% of NYC load
Glenwood Plant – Yonkers (NY)
It seems that back in 2003 the first US for-profit Independent Transmission Company, GridAmerica (Managed by National Grid, USA) went into operations in the Midwest. It was a subsidiary of National Grid Transco and began managing the transmission assets serving consumers through utilities in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Missouri.
Suddenly, in November, 2005 Grid America ceased operations and its services were taken over by the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (Midwest ISO). What appeared to be a giant step for National Grid has, thankfully, been turned into a corrective back-step. One either owns utilities or transmission lines. Apparently not both!
Monopolies are ok in Britain, but not here, thank you FERC.
Showing posts with label national grid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label national grid. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)