Grim Day on the Texas Power Grid

[anorlunda]

Power and associated utilities cannot be removed from political discussion.

For example, I worked at the NY ISO. In NY the federal regulator (FERC) set broad guidelines. Details of the markets (including whether or not to have a capacity market) were left up to the participants.

The details of micromanagement should never be embodied in statute law. Saying that, doesn't make things apolitical.

Also IMO, micromanagement of the ISO by the legislature is the direct cause of the 2000-2001 energy crisis in California. Not Enron, but the legislature.

By the way, the governor of New York State was livid with rage when he discovered that the state had zero authority to tell the ISO what to do.

 

[sophiecentaur]

The details of micromanagement should never be embodied in statute law.

Very true and neither should they be under the control of Accountants and shareholders.Definitely the domain of the Engineer, IMO.