Rate Making Formula vs. Bonds Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Rate Making Formula vs. Bonds - Research Paper Example The rules will cost $800 million annually until 2014 in addition to $1.6 billion already spent annually under its predecessor, CAIR, in capital investments. The industry players say that the rule is the most costly and burdensome to the business and consumers and analysts say that it is likely to increase consumer bills by an estimated 40 to 60 percent by 2014 . Consumer advocacy groups have also come out to fight the utility rate hikes as well as the CSAPR that are adding the cost burden to their bills. This explains why three dozen lawsuits had already been filed by November 2011 and their adversarial nature . This is just one example of compliance costs struggle that environmental regulations bring . As energy utilities attempt to reach the set compliance standards, whether by capital investment, or adopting different operational strategies, or adopting new and cleaner technologies costs will be incured. Since these costs are associated with environmental compliance, utilities wil l argue that they should be included into rates, and ratepayers will be disinclined to bear costs . Municipal bonds are better alternatives to recoup environmental compliance costs while eliminating cost shifting to consumers and ensuring implementation of environmental regulations in a less adversarial atmosphere. This will eliminate much creditworthiness and the revenue deficiency risk utilities bear from environmental compliance, allowing utilities to operate more efficiently and thus keeping energy prices low.... As energy utilities attempt to reach the set compliance standards, whether by capital investment, or adopting different operational strategies, or adopting new and cleaner technologies costs will be incured. Since these costs are associated with environmental compliance, utilities will argue that they should be included into rates, and ratepayers will be disinclined to bear the costs5. Municipal bonds are better alternatives to recoup environmental compliance costs while eliminating cost shifting to consumers and ensuring implementation of environmental regulations in a less adversarial atmosphere. Currently as a general rule, environmental compliance costs are recoverable in rates because these costs are not costs that an energy utility can chose to incur; they must incur them6. In ratemaking, a PUC may deem that a measure taken by a utility was not the most economical or efficient way to reach compliance, therefore, reject to include the cost into the rate. Using municipal bonds to recoup environmental compliance costs eliminates this cost shifting struggle7. The proposed bond will be a private activity bond which will be issued to recoup short term loans that the county will take from Qualified Energy Conservation Bond (QECB) on behalf of the electric utility company. This is because counties within a state are allocated their amount according to population as stipulated in the QECB Formula Allocations. This will be given in a lump sum upon approval by the Department of the Treasury at low interest rate and which 10% of it will have to be used in the first six months and the rest in two years time8. The county will then issue general obligation municipal bonds to repay for the QECB loan plus interest. This will eliminate much

Malleus Maleficarum forum 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Malleus Maleficarum forum 12 - Essay Example The male chauvinistic society maligned women they considered influential. In the prosecution of witches, the society prosecuted a number of innocent women owing to their beliefs and attempts to defend such beliefs. In the 17th century, a number of women were drawn to witchcraft since the practice gained them some authority. The most common argument was that the evil spirit seduced women. The spirits of witchcraft and sorcery would always seek sexual gratification from women and would therefore entice the women into accepting them by peddling a number of pleasantries. Additionally, Women craved authority and influence at the time. The practice provided a degree of authority and was often beneficial since it offered ways of overcoming some common challenges such as health complications. However, the society limited the liberties for women. As such, some women married male witches thereby inheriting the practice from their old husbands. The practice of witchery thus became a major attraction since it made the women sources of authority; women became both powerful and invincible in the