Glossary

The owner of the option has no position in the underlying security or commodity.

The full-load continuous rating of a generator, prime mover, or other electric power production equipment under specific conditions as designated by the manufacturer. Installed generator nameplate rating is usually indicated on a nameplate physically attached to the generator.

The initial capability of a piece of electrical equipment as stated on the attached nameplate. Actual capability can vary from the nameplate rating due to age, wear, maintenance or ambient conditions.

The National Association of Utility Consumer Advocates. NASUCA includes members from 38 states and the District of Columbia. It was formed "to exchange information and take positions on issues affecting utility rates before federal agencies, Congress and the courts."

A professional trade association, headquartered in Washington, D.C., composed of members of state and federal regulatory bodies that have regulatory authority over public utilities.

A law aimed at increasing efficiency in the electric utility industry by enhancing competition in generation. It requires the opening of electric transmission access by giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to order utilities to provide transmission to other utilities, federal power marketing agencies, or power marketers for wholesale transactions.

A law requiring agencies to consider the environmental impacts of major federal actions and to prepare environmental impact statements (EISs) which discuss these impacts and weigh alternatives. The law also requires public participation in the EIS process.

The requirements of a wholesale utility's local retail market.

A naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon gases found in porous geological formations beneath the earth's surface, often in association with petroleum. The principal constituent is methane, CH4.

A federal statute enacted in 1938 to provide regulatory control over the interstate sale and transportation of natural gas. Under the NGA, the Federal Power Commission was given two major powers: (1) the power to issue certificates of public convenience and necessity authorizing construction and operation of facilities and the provision of services, and (2) the power to regulate rates for (a) sales in interstate commerce of natural gas sold for resale for ultimate public consumption and (b) transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce. The Act specifically provides that the NGA will not apply to other sale or transportation of natural gas or to the local distribution Df natural gas, or to the facilities used for such distribution, or to the production or gathering of natural gas.

A federal statute enacted in 1978 to phase out producer rate regulation between January 1, 1985 and July 1, 1987. The NGPA provides "maximum lawful prices" for those -categories of natural gas that it subjects to price regulation. The NGPA also provides for "self-implementing" transportation services, without the need for prior certificates of public convenience and necessity from the FERC under the NGA, for certain qualifying transportation by interstate pipelines on behalf of intrastate pipelines or local distribution companies or by intrastate pipelines on behalf of interstate pipelines or local distribution companies served by an interstate pipeline.

Coalition to develop markets for natural gas vehicles.

A federal statute enacted in 1989 providing for staged decontrol of first sales with full decontrol of all categories completed by January 1, 1993.

Those liquid hydrocarbon mixtures containing substantial quantities of pentane and heavier hydrocarbons which have been extracted from natural gas.

A situation where one firm can produce a given level of output at a lower total cost than can any combination of multiple firms. Natural monopolies occur in industries, which exhibit decreasing average long run ~costs due to size (economies of scale). According to economic theory, a public monopoly governed by regulation is justified when an industry exhibits natural monopoly characteristics.

See Adjacent System.

Actual number of electrical megawatt-hours generated by the unit during the period being considered less any generation (MWh) utilized for that unit's station service or auxiliaries.

Gas Available Capacity less the unit capacity utilized for that unit's station service or auxiliaries.

The effective wellhead price to the producer of natural gas, based on the downstream market price for the natural gas less the charges for delivering the natural gas to market.

Test In the context of ratemaking, an analysis to determine whether rolled-in or incremental rates for new construction benefit existing customers on a pipeline.

The maximum load -carrying ability of a power plant, exclusive of station use, under specified conditions for a given time interval, independent of the characteristics of the load. Capability is determined by design characteristics, physical conditions, adequacy of prime mover, -energy supply, and operating limitations such as cooling and circulating water supply and temperature, headwater and tailwater elevations, and electrical use.

Total Owned Capacity + Contractor Capacity Available from Independent Power Producers + Net of Total Capacity Purchases and Sales Sum of Inoperable Capacity and Planned Outage =

Maximum capacity sustained by a unit in a specified period modified for seasonal limitations and reduced by the capacity required for station service or auxiliaries.

Net system generation plus Interchange received minus Interchange delivered.

Gross generation less the electric energy consumed at the generating station for station use.

Metered Net Outputs of all Generators within a Sys-tem + Metered Line Flows into the System - Metered Line Flows out of the System Direct Control Load Management - Interruptible Demand = Net Internal Demand

Gross Maximum Capacity less the unit capacity utilized for that unit's station service or auxiliaries.

In futures trading, the difference between the open long contracts and open short contracts relating to anyone commodity.

A condition of a swap agreement that simplifies the settlement process by having the counterparty that owes the larger amount pay the net of the larger and smaller gross obligations.

The steady hourly output which generating .equipment is expected to supply to system load exclusive of auxiliary power, as demonstrated by tests at the time of summer peak demand.

The steady hourly output which generating equipment is expected to supply to system load exclusive of auxiliary power, as demonstrated by tests at the time of winter peak demand.

A provision in a swap contract that allows for the offset of settlement payments and receipts on all contracts between the same two counterparties. Although not fully established, this provision is intended to limit default exposure to a counterparty.

An interconnected system of electrical transmission lines, transformers, switches and other equipment connected together in such a way as to provide reliable transmission of electrical power from multiple generators to multiple load centers. A network implies redundancy provided through the use of multiple parallel flow paths.

Natural gas pricing 'Category created by the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (NGPA). The NGPA divided all natural gas into more than 20 categories, each subject to different maximum lawful pricing rules.

Rule which protects a shipper with flowing gas from losing capacity (being bumped) by a higher priority shipper in the interruptible queue deciding to increase its gas volumes.

A pipeline delivery service which allows customers to receive gas on demand without making prior nominations to meet peak service needs and without paying daily balancing and scheduling penalties.

The voltage standards recommended by manufacturers of electrical equipment and the electric utilities in the United States to assure that electrical equipment will be designed for the voltage range that will be encountered in actual use so that satisfactory operation of equipment will be obtained. The Nominal Standard Distribution Voltages are established by each company for service supplied to residential and commercial customers.

A request for service under a service agreement.

A customer's maximum energy demand during any stated period. Customers who use large quantities of electricity may pay a monthly demand charge based on their maximum electric demand during each month. This maximum demand in the electric industry can also be called a customer's monthly non-coincident demand.

These transactions are typically for short periods and subject to curtailment or cessation of delivery by the supplier or purchaser in accordance with prior agreements or under specified conditions. Non-firm sales are sometimes called economy or interruptible sales.

Energy that is not guaranteed to be continuously available. Non-firm energy is available in varying amounts depending upon season and weather conditions.

A direct sale by an interstate pipeline to an end user over which the FERC has no jurisdiction, as contrasted with a pipeline's sale for resale in interstate commerce which is jurisdictional.

A working interest owner in a well or facility that is not the party designated to operate it.

A contractual breach, such as contracted gas that is not delivered.

Transmission Capability - Transmission Reliability Margin - Non-recallable Reserved Transmission Service = Non-recallable Available Transfer Capability

Generating units that are not connected to the system but are capable of coming on line within a specified time, or interruptible load that can be removed from the system in a specified time.

Facility for generating electricity that is not exclusively or primarily owned by an electric utility and which operates connected to an electric utility system.

A corporation, person, agency, authority, or other legal entity or instrumentality that owns electric generating capacity and is not an electric utility. Non-utility power producers include qualifying cogenerators, qualifying small power producers, and other non-utility generators (including independent power producers) without a designated franchised service area, and which do not file forms listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Part 141. .

Notice of Proposed Rule Making. A draft generic policy change promulgated by regulatory agencies.

Operating procedures that are normal activities of a system operator to alleviate potential facility overloads or other potential system problems.

The ratings as defined by the facility owner that specify the level of electrical loading (generally expressed in megawatts or other appropriate units) that a facility can support or withstand through the daily demand cycles without loss of equipment life of the facility or equipment involved.

The operating voltage range on the interconnected systems, above or below nominal voltage and generally expressed in kilovolts, that is acceptable on a sustained basis. (See Voltage Chart.)

As a reaction to the 1967 New York City black out, the electric utility industry formed a council in 1968 to promote the reliability and adequacy of bulk power supply in the electric utility systems of North America. NERC consists of ten regional reliability councils and encompasses essentially all the power regions of the contiguous United States, Canada, and a small portion of Mexico. There is also one affiliate member in Alaska, the Alaskan System Coordination Council. The NERC Regions are:

FERC procedure used to gather information on a specific industry issue.

FERC proposal issued with the intent of changing or establishing a FERC rule.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Fissionable materials that have been enriched to such a composition that, when placed in a nuclear reactor, will support a self-sustaining fission chain reaction, producing heat in a controlled manner for process use.

A facility in which heat produced in a reactor by the fissioning of nuclear fuel is used to drive a steam turbine.

A device in which a fission chain reaction can be initiated, maintained and controlled. Nuclear reactors are used in the power industry to produce steam for electricity.