Euromoney (February Issue)
In Mexico, “cheaper electricity will lower manufacturing costs across the board, and the country could become a competitor in energy-intensive industries such as aluminum and steel production.” President Enrique Peña Nieto introduced sweeping reforms to liberalize the electricity and oil and gas sectors, prompting analysts to add “an extra 1.5% to future GDP growth rates as a direct consequence of the scope of these reforms and many say the risks are on the upside. Suppliers, contractors and a whole host of other industries will benefit.”
Tags: Aluminum, Analysts, Competitor, Contractors, Costs, Electricity, Enrique Peña Nieto, Gas, GDP, Manufacturing, Mexico, Oil, Reforms, Risks, Steel, Suppliers, Upside
The Times of London (September 17)
“The West is right to seek a diplomatic solution with Tehran to defuse an emerging nuclear threat…. Iran’s nuclear programme is plainly not designed purely to generate electricity. It is also to make atomic bombs and is a threat to already shaky stability of the Middle East.”
Tags: Bombs, Diplomatic solution, Electricity, Iran, Middle East, Nuclear threat, Stability, Tehran, Threat
Washington Post (July 3)Washington Post (July 3)
A “freak summer storm that laid waste to much of the mid-Atlantic on Friday night left chaos in its howling wake — and a mess of questions about the region’s capacity to cope with the unexpected.” Emergency 911 phone service was disrupted, as was electricity supply. In certain areas, nearly 10% of customers were expected to still be powerless a week after the storm. “The storm gave rise to massive inconveniences and discomforts across the Washington area. Usefully, it also exposed the region’s absence of reliable fail-safes, spotty preparedness and sluggish response times in the face of emergencies. Now it’s up to leaders to identify and act on those shortcomings.”A “freak summer storm that laid waste to much of the mid-Atlantic on Friday night left chaos in its howling wake — and a mess of questions about the region’s capacity to cope with the unexpected.” Emergency 911 phone service was disrupted, as was electricity supply. In certain areas, nearly 10% of customers were expected to still be powerless a week after the storm. “The storm gave rise to massive inconveniences and discomforts across the Washington area. Usefully, it also exposed the region’s absence of reliable fail-safes, spotty preparedness and sluggish response times in the face of emergencies. Now it’s up to leaders to identify and act on those shortcomings.”
Tags: 9/11, Disaster preparedness, Electricity, Storm, Washington
CNN (May 7)
“As Japan began its workweek Monday morning, the trains ran exactly on time, the elevators in thousands of Tokyo high rises efficiently moved between floors, and the lights turned on across cities with nary a glitch.” But it wasn’t a normal Monday. Japan’s last operating nuclear reactor had shut down. “For the first time in four decades, none of the energy on this working day is derived from a nuclear reactor.”
Tags: Electricity, Japan, Nuclear reactors
Forbes (February 12, 2012)
U.S. utilities are rushing to close coal-fired plants, especially less efficient plants that are over 40 years old. “Coal now provides about half of this country’s electric generation. But the energy picture is changing with the pending environmental rules and the newfound wealth of inexpensive shale gas.” In 25 years, coal’s share could be halved and natural gas could account for about 40% of electricity needs.
Tags: Coal, Electricity, Environment, Gas, U.S.
Bloomberg (June 1)
India loses more power than any other nation to electricity theft, almost a third of its annual 174GW supply. “The pilfering of almost enough power to charge California for a year lowers the annual income of Indian distribution companies by $16 billion and cuts output by 1.2 percent in the $1.3 trillion economy.” India hopes to reduce electricity theft with competition and privatization. Compared to state-owned firms, private companies are less tolerant of electricity theft. Their inspectors are less susceptible to bribes to look the other way.
India loses more power than any other nation to electricity theft, almost a third of its annual 174GW supply. “The pilfering of almost enough power to charge California for a year lowers the annual income of Indian distribution companies by $16 billion and cuts output by 1.2 percent in the $1.3 trillion economy.” India hopes to reduce electricity theft with competition and privatization. Compared to state-owned firms, private companies are less tolerant of electricity theft. Their inspectors are less susceptible to bribes to look the other way.
Tags: Competition, Electricity, India, Privatization, Theft
Financial Times (May 31)
Following Fukushima, Germany decided to close its nuclear power plants by 2036. The deadline has now been moved up to 2022. The 17 plants slated for closure generate a quarter of Germany’s supply. To offset this loss, “Angela Merkel committed Germany to doubling the amount of electricity from renewable sources to 35% this decade.”
Tags: Electricity, Germany, Merkel, Nuclear power, Renewable sources
Bloomberg (May 26)
Solar is sliding down the cost curve even as cell efficiency climbs. Solar may soon beat the electricity rates set by utilities. “The cost of solar cells, the main component in standard panels, has fallen 21 percent so far this year, and the cost of solar power is now about the same as the rate utilities charge for conventional power in the sunniest parts of California, Italy and Turkey.”
Tags: Cost, Efficiency, Electricity, Solar, Utilities
Reuters (April 25)
Profitability is expected to suffer at firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s first section. According to Barclays Capital, average net profit “will fall 12 percent this financial year, with the slide led by export-related industries such as auto and electronics firms.” Markets may already have factored this into share prices. There may even be some upside. “Some investors are encouraged by the speed at which power generation capacity has recovered since the quake, and initial plans to force large users to cut back by a quarter may be eased.” In addition, there are hopes that later in the year supply chains will stabilize and consumption will benefit from rebuilding and relief efforts.Profitability is expected to suffer at firms listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s first section. According to Barclays Capital, average net profit “will fall 12 percent this financial year, with the slide led by export-related industries such as auto and electronics firms.” Markets may already have factored this into share prices. There may even be some upside. “Some investors are encouraged by the speed at which power generation capacity has recovered since the quake, and initial plans to force large users to cut back by a quarter may be eased.” In addition, there are hopes that later in the year supply chains will stabilize and consumption will benefit from rebuilding and relief efforts.
Tags: Electricity, Forecast, Japan, Profit, Share prices, Supply chains, TSE
