Critical links: The role of electric utilities in information infrastructure
Electric utilities should seek out the role of providing {open_quotes}common infrastructure{close_quotes} for telecommunications services, some of which utilities need themselves. If they do so, in cooperation with cable and/or telephone companies, the public and utilities would be well served. After laboring for years to alert the industry and the public to the possibilities for electric utility involvement in advanced telecommunications networks and services, the author is thrilled by all the new alliances and demonstration projects that link power companies with information and telecommunications providers. But while a few electric utilities talk aggressively about entering competitive voice, data and video businesses, others still dread the very word `telecommunications.` By and large, no unanimity has emerged on how to capture the patent synergy of electricity and telecommunications while paving the way for a congenial, long-term fit between these two multi-faceted industries. Over the past several months, with assistance from the Office of Computational Sciences of the U.S. Department of Energy, the author has tried to fashion a model for the stable evolution of electric utilities into telecommunications and information. In this article, the author summarizes the findings of this inquiry as a `snapshot` of where U.S. electric utilities now stand vis-a-vis the nations`s telecommunications needs. Then he offers his own views about what utilities can and should do to help meet those needs to benefit themselves, their customers, and their shareholders.
- OSTI ID:
- 381321
- Journal Information:
- Electricity Journal, Journal Name: Electricity Journal Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 8; ISSN ELEJE4; ISSN 1040-6190
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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