Is central station generation becoming a white elephant
Cost increases encourage the development of alternative sources of energy, and some of the alternatives currently under development lend themselves to moving the generation location back to load centers. In addition, some alternative sources have short lead times and minimal environmental impact, and are being subsidized through income tax policy. Alternative sources of energy have the potential for beginning to affect the usefulness of electric-generating plants and their high-voltage transmission networks before the end of this century. If this comes about, the electric utility industry may find its position similar to that of the telephone industry - with obsolete facilities not fully depreciated. The scenario discussed here would not come about all at once and may not come about at all. But it is the authors opinion that the chances are greater than fifty-fifty that it or something similar will affect the usefulness of bulk power supply systems sometime during the lifetime of generating units installed during the past ten years.
- Research Organization:
- Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Dallas, TX
- OSTI ID:
- 6002628
- Journal Information:
- Public Util. Fortn.; (United States), Vol. 115:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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