I don't really have anything intelligent to add, other than National Instruments [Nasdaq NATI] has a line of Web-Enabled SCADA systems which could be used for contolling remote substations and such.
It is fairly obvious that rates need to be raised for transmission lines, regardless of who owns them. The people in New York and other nimby areas must be forced to pay for their habit of demanding cheap power without building power plants.
You can see already that the New Yorkers are trying to make Ohioans pay for upgrading the transmission lines that the New Yorkers depend upon.
Thanks for the excellent insights guys.
You're certainly welcome, and thanks for the ping.
I don't really have anything intelligent to add, other than National Instruments [Nasdaq NATI] has a line of Web-Enabled SCADA systems which could be used for contolling remote substations and such.
Given the recent blackout events and the concerns for internet security of late, I wouldn't invest in NATI unless they have a vast line of non-internet products to sell.
It is fairly obvious that rates need to be raised for transmission lines, regardless of who owns them. The people in New York and other nimby areas must be forced to pay for their habit of demanding cheap power without building power plants.
There definately isn't any money in upgrading the grid, and in fact the system is set up to reward a weaker grid, given the laws of supply and demand. That needs to change. We as an industry simply cannot risk reliability so that a few marketers can gain huge rewards. There are rules for grid operation as well, but they have no teeth - there is really no penalty for breaking NERC policy. Ironically, I had a little "discussion" on NERC policy today at work.
You can see already that the New Yorkers are trying to make Ohioans pay for upgrading the transmission lines that the New Yorkers depend upon.
Unfortunately, there will likely be a political solution to a practical problem and it won't be pretty, but it will probably make a hand full of "connected" people gain advantage at the expense of someone else. That is often the case when pols get involved in things they don't understand (or things that will gain them votes).