Reliant Energy Makes ''Good Faith Commitment'' to Keep Power Prices From Emergency Peaking Units Low.Business EditorsHOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2001 Company Continues to Work with Air Quality Control Boards to Lift Restrictions on Units Reliant Energy Reliant Energy, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is a non-utility, retail and wholesale electricity provider. In Texas, it provides service to nearly 1.9 million retail electricity customers, including residential and small business customers and commercial, industrial, announced today it will lower the price of its power bids from emergency limited run time peaking units that have environmental permit operating restrictions despite concerns that the state will deplete de·plete v. 1. To use up something, such as a nutrient. 2. To empty something out, as the body of electrolytes. the available power of these plants too soon. The company initiated this move in anticipation that local air quality control boards will lift restrictions that hamper supply and cause prices to rise. "Reliant has recently been sharply criticized for bids from these plants. To show we are committed to working with all parties, we are voluntarily reducing prices in the hopes that all the decision makers in California understand the need to lower restrictions during times of emergencies," Joe Bob Perkins This article is about the Judge. For The Philadelphia-area radio host, see Bob Perkins (radio). Bob Perkins is a judge who sits on the Travis County District Court in Austin, Texas. , president and chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. of Reliant Energy Wholesale Group said. "In essence, we are doing exactly what Governor Gray Davis has suggested. But if restrictions are not lowered, we will run out of power from these units very quickly." In letters sent to the South Coast Air Quality Management District The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the air pollution agency responsible mainly for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange county. , the Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. County Air Pollution Control District and the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, the company resubmitted their request for an extension on the run time limits of its emergency peaking units. Extensions would reduce the price of bids associated with these units from $1500 - $1900 per megawatt meg·a·watt n. Abbr. MW One million watts. meg  a·watt hour to $150 to $250 per megawatt
hour. In addition, they would help increase the available supply of
power during power emergencies.
Currently, these emergency peaking units are allowed to run for only a few days per year. As a result, Reliant Energy has purposely pur·pose·ly adv. With specific purpose. purposely Adverb on purpose USAGE: See at purposeful. Adv. 1. bid the power from these units at high prices in order to discourage their premature use and to help ensure availability in emergencies - specifically stage three emergencies. Reliant has likened those plants to limited canteens of water on a long trek across the desert that should only be used in times of dire thirst. If the air quality control boards allow Reliant Energy to operate these plants without penalty during emergency times, the need to "ration ration a fixed allowance of total feed for an animal for one day. Usually specifies the individual ingredients and their amounts and the amounts of the specific nutriments such as carbohydrate, fiber, individual minerals and vitamins. " the power would be eliminated, lowering prices and increasing supply. No matter what, Reliant Energy intends to lower the prices of the megawatts produced at this plant, in hopes that restrictions will be raised. Recent discussions and the boards' actions with other companies are encouraging. Still, if the air quality boards do not lift restrictions, this power, at the lower price, will be exhausted quickly and will be unavailable for most of the summer. "It is critical that that all parties focus on the root of the problem in California - the lack of supply of power. It is astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. that many decision makers continue to take the focus off of supply in the name of political finger pointing. As a result, many Californians still do not believe there is a serious supply problem," Perkins said. "These Reliant efforts are an attempt to increase supply - another step in our commitment to find solutions that are fair for all parties and to do what it takes to keep the lights on in California." The units affected by this commitment include units at Reliant Energy's Mandalay, Etiwanda, and Ellwood facilities. |
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