& u4 \: ~2 x% ?$ xPrior to the 1970s, the U.S. electric power industry was technology driven. & T4 T; ^6 _* ~: H4 `0 ]
Engineers were trained to focus on specific technologies and work in spe- # @; y. ]0 b' @
cialized areas. However, dramatic changes began taking place in the 1970s, $ h% v) y. @/ z7 Q' ] L8 b
and an “energy crisis” ushered in a new era of tighter regulation. ! k: A" ^1 g9 r9 U' K" R, k: x9 u By the early 1990s, two decades of intense regulation were replaced by 4 O4 S5 u, B0 ~2 B2 } N/ Z) @a new policy of promoting open access and competition. The Energy Policy # _1 d7 d7 f: e/ D& XAct of 1992, followed by several significant Notices of Proposed Rulemakings 9 ~( L# ?& N8 I* u" z9 D
and Orders from the U.S. Federal Energy Commission, required utilities to 1 m1 I. S4 V, g" n$ D/ r: x. }% X7 D
compete for markets that were previously guaranteed. As a consequence, / E. y! y% J: F* \
there were many mergers and acquisitions. Marketers with little or no power 0 A8 I: J* p' g+ s5 k4 h
industry experience moved into positions of influence. Engineering organi- 1 @2 ]. H& i' m. J* s' |- }
zations were downsized, and the engineers who were left behind had to find : V5 G: ?/ F/ o, ^ways to prevent power systems from becoming less reliable. 8 \6 p( K0 p( G: o, V5 Z+ D
Today the transition in industry structure is nearly complete. The U.S. 5 C8 q8 V: r7 p5 `( S Zelectric power industry is no longer technology driven. It is public policy # H& K8 {9 w4 `) S9 b7 j, Z9 Yand market driven. Just as utility companies have to change to survive in , m% B. P2 {4 w
the new competitive environment, engineers who choose to work in the 2 M4 d, m% h3 G7 {. j5 M: ~
industry must learn a new set of skills and accommodate new disciplines. 1 M7 `3 j* b$ y, ~, B9 ^5 S
This book is intended to help educate new engineers for the new business . j- K6 X) h+ c
environment. We explain how new methods for power systems operations 0 b+ j5 F/ l. H% U5 Band energy marketing relate to public policy, regulation, economics, and 9 N" \1 ]& C9 h: N( @8 k6 F! wengineering science. This book can serve as a textbook for an undergraduate . J, J5 L$ z5 Relective course for engineering students. Alternatively, it can be used for the , g. k; U, B2 X$ y% I# d! dcontinuing education of industrial power engineers and energy industry 6 a" g* L! l5 ] b& b7 ^% Vemployees. 1 H3 U! v w2 D+ `; }" u: t" z
7 Q; _* o+ K! W& S0 R# Q- \
(C) 2002 by CRC Press LLC