Preface ' u# X8 s+ B" v# G7 P: Q& W8 G% d 3 W7 F: y' ~. b5 ]9 s, JPrior to the 1970s, the U.S. electric power industry was technology driven. 8 \% P4 v, j' v5 N% {Engineers were trained to focus on specific technologies and work in spe- % b$ K* g, y( P( V9 ^+ `) Xcialized areas. However, dramatic changes began taking place in the 1970s, $ K5 E5 U; X- p) u/ |and an “energy crisis” ushered in a new era of tighter regulation. . ]5 O1 N. P# }$ E/ M( k By the early 1990s, two decades of intense regulation were replaced by 5 |$ o4 w( [/ M0 c4 ga new policy of promoting open access and competition. The Energy Policy . Z5 e% U8 C, b, n
Act of 1992, followed by several significant Notices of Proposed Rulemakings ( A* G- O' O2 ?9 _
and Orders from the U.S. Federal Energy Commission, required utilities to 2 X7 ~9 J% q4 o/ v; x: c
compete for markets that were previously guaranteed. As a consequence, 9 P$ u \8 f8 S t4 m; ]6 c
there were many mergers and acquisitions. Marketers with little or no power + R8 Z8 ^' l& x( u! x' u
industry experience moved into positions of influence. Engineering organi- ' d9 [3 [2 J* i" kzations were downsized, and the engineers who were left behind had to find + c0 M1 n/ M9 n1 R
ways to prevent power systems from becoming less reliable. / x7 g; W; J( ^
Today the transition in industry structure is nearly complete. The U.S. ! T& A7 U) [- `& relectric power industry is no longer technology driven. It is public policy ! ?: g) d0 }: m, ^. f/ @
and market driven. Just as utility companies have to change to survive in 2 r- W0 P3 t9 L8 ~+ C2 i6 r
the new competitive environment, engineers who choose to work in the ; v- D0 }5 w; ^4 L' Hindustry must learn a new set of skills and accommodate new disciplines. 7 d. N8 j E3 N p3 s0 e( H6 A# A5 B This book is intended to help educate new engineers for the new business " j8 W0 Z/ F' B
environment. We explain how new methods for power systems operations - q7 Z# {6 s$ I1 z' U, D# j, O+ Qand energy marketing relate to public policy, regulation, economics, and - k' h; ?: {/ \& d( f2 t2 H
engineering science. This book can serve as a textbook for an undergraduate 2 I$ v; ^% Q& F* }: C+ Uelective course for engineering students. Alternatively, it can be used for the : z) o2 \& Y$ g5 w# j3 b/ W" Fcontinuing education of industrial power engineers and energy industry $ }: E0 b& @* I- H! K2 `
employees. 1 Q+ o5 q- m% u. u: w0 M! i
8 A0 G8 k0 ~6 ^; i& U/ D
(C) 2002 by CRC Press LLC