Often, utilities don't give out blatantly false information, she said, just information that is outdated and less trustworthy. For her most recent report, she asked utilities if they have agreements with large industrial users allowing them to cut their power when demand soars to serve as a safety net to avoid shortages. It's harder to get even a good load forecast. I don't have a full picture of future data. That could make it difficult to know just how much power the region will need in the future, she said.
Utilities walking a tightrope The threat of deregulation puts utilities in a real pickle.
The Benton County PUD, for example, is watching the industry closely as it prepares to secure power contracts next year for 2001 through 2006. Commissioners not only have to negotiate a price, they also have to decide how much power to buy. While the utility will have a contract to buy the power, it won't have contracts with most of its users. If customers start leaving the Benton PUD, those who remain will have to pay for the power that is left over. We have to be awfully careful.