3 ]' a* W0 O0 \- Y6 ePrior to the 1970s, the U.S. electric power industry was technology driven. : c2 ]) x4 ?: Z% w8 ?7 E
Engineers were trained to focus on specific technologies and work in spe- 7 q# |7 y2 s6 `7 G' V; Z4 @cialized areas. However, dramatic changes began taking place in the 1970s, 8 h& k" t' i4 Xand an “energy crisis” ushered in a new era of tighter regulation. 4 d, i* b6 ~2 y7 P) o
By the early 1990s, two decades of intense regulation were replaced by # {+ ~2 R+ r, `( [7 @
a new policy of promoting open access and competition. The Energy Policy 9 y$ q7 O! M# o! GAct of 1992, followed by several significant Notices of Proposed Rulemakings $ [- @; R# y. qand Orders from the U.S. Federal Energy Commission, required utilities to 4 K& {3 |5 o. T' q, ~
compete for markets that were previously guaranteed. As a consequence, 4 R2 U0 F8 s! n
there were many mergers and acquisitions. Marketers with little or no power & G$ V1 k T3 m% |
industry experience moved into positions of influence. Engineering organi- % }( H0 C; A7 ~3 Z9 G& A. j! mzations were downsized, and the engineers who were left behind had to find & u+ |9 o: d7 V, R8 H* T& Dways to prevent power systems from becoming less reliable. ! I9 {: x+ H6 P7 d& W- B Today the transition in industry structure is nearly complete. The U.S. / ~, k+ X3 E! y3 I
electric power industry is no longer technology driven. It is public policy 8 n+ T6 }5 a2 F: o9 rand market driven. Just as utility companies have to change to survive in 9 |( `# v/ i' @7 n6 D
the new competitive environment, engineers who choose to work in the ) a2 G x8 {4 i& f) v' n" R& t
industry must learn a new set of skills and accommodate new disciplines. 3 J: h# R8 q( _; |' X4 K This book is intended to help educate new engineers for the new business H/ g: ?' P. L
environment. We explain how new methods for power systems operations 8 p v0 k% }- Y1 _8 u
and energy marketing relate to public policy, regulation, economics, and " \5 l) [" y& k/ |. m) gengineering science. This book can serve as a textbook for an undergraduate 8 }6 r3 k. n" Y8 x1 f& Q
elective course for engineering students. Alternatively, it can be used for the 5 v3 {! }" f/ u1 J! h
continuing education of industrial power engineers and energy industry 3 C( T# B+ g& ]0 c2 D j$ }
employees. + a. P J. F4 m4 I5 e7 M8 Z) X 4 {/ [/ i& Z5 ?7 T& r(C) 2002 by CRC Press LLC