Glossary

The services necessary to effect a transfer of electricity between purchasing and selling entities that transmission providers must include in their open access transmission tariffs; IOSs are the voluntary services that transmission providers may offer to...

Pricing transmission based on the cost of each parallel path upon which the electric power flows

A state agency (often called a department of public utility control, public service commission, etc.) comprised of elected or appointed regulators that oversees utility (including electric, gas, telecom, taxi, weights and measures and the like) rates...

The ability of a customer to purchase power from a supplier at a rate agreed upon by both that is delivered to the customer's location (also called customer choice or retail competition)

Reducing electricity use from the grid during peak periods to increase reliability and moderate the energy-clearing price during system-wide peak demand; reducing electric load or using qualifying emergency generators on the customer side of the meter.

Electric service sufficient for basic needs that is available to all members of the population regardless of income

The measure of time that a generating unit, transmission line or other facility is capable of providing service, whether the unit, line or facility is in service (expressed as a percent available for the time under consideration)

A link in a transmission system

Enacted by Congress, it prohibits acquisition of any wholesale or retail electric business through a holding company, unless the business forms part of an integrated public utility system when combined with the utility's other electric business, and...

A reduction in scheduled capacity or energy delivery