Aligning public policy with electricity markets

While nearly everyone points to deregulation, spiking electricity prices, rolling blackouts, potential utility bankruptcies and generator greed, the fundamental problem with electricity supply is being unable to decide how to decide about siting new generation and transmission facilities. Because of enormous public impacts, these are properly public decisions. And so it is government that should live up to its responsibilities in facilitating decisions on proposed new facilities. But even expeditious action today will not bring additional capacity on line for at least two, more likely four, years. Beyond that, we need to check on the adequacy of gas pipeline capacity, turbine-generator manufacturing capability and gas exploration rates.