Preface
Section 205(A)(2) of the Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-91) requires the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to carry out a central, comprehensive, and unified energy data information program. Under this program, the EIA will collect, evaluate, assemble, analyze, and disseminate data and information relevant to energy resources, reserves, production, demand, technology, and related economic and statistical information.
To assist in meeting these responsibilities in the area of electric power, EIA has prepared this report, The Changing Structure of the Electric Power Industry: Selected Issues, 1998. This report is one in a series of reports meant to provide a comprehensive analysis of key issues brought forth by the movement of the U.S. electric power industry toward competition.
This publication is intended for a wide audience, including Congress, Federal and State agencies, the electric power industry, and the general public.
The legislation that created the EIA vested the organization with an element of statutory independence. The EIA does not take positions on policy questions.
The EIA's responsibility is to provide timely, high-quality information and to perform objective, credible analyses in support of deliberations by both public and private decisionmakers. Accordingly, this report does not purport to represent the policy positions of the U.S. Department of Energy or the Administration.
Charles Smith supervised the editing of this report and Rebecca McNerney supervised production with assistance from Terry Varley, Lisa Kinner, and Sandra Smith. Theresa Simonds provided invaluable research assistance.
This report can be accessed from EIA's World Wide Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov.