Opportunities for cement plants in the changing electricity industry

Electricity has had and will continue to have an important impact on our society. The availability of reliable supplies at affordable prices has made possible the high standard of living and level of industrial development we enjoy today. The electricity industry in the United States is going through the process of deregulation. This paper discusses the regulation history of the electricity industry, the concepts of deregulation, an understanding of the benefits therein and how those changes will apply to the cement industry. It will definitely not be business as usual-the cement industry is an energy intensive industry and electricity pricing contributes heavily to its costs. The “New World” will be very complex, but will yield opportunities for cost savings for the cement industry