Charles Newton - Newton-Evans Research Co. USA

The research study conducted with North American utility officials included interviews and surveys of managers at more than 180 electric utilities. Included in this group of survey respondents were officials representing 66 investor-owned utilities, 49 public power respondents, 40 electric cooperatives, and 21 Canadian utilities. Together, this group of North American utilities accounted for nearly one half of all electricity customers of each major type (industrial, commercial and residential or domestic),Generating capacity among this group represent about 250 giga watts of a nationwide total of less than 600 giga watts now accounted for by regulated utilities. Revenue for the U.S. group exceeded $125 billion of an estimated $280 billion accounted for by all U.S. electric utilities .On a summary basis, some conclusions drawn from the current study program are these: North American utilities are more likely to be directly involved in distributed generation activities or programs than are their international counterparts. While the overall rate for North American utility participants in this study currently involved with DG programs stands at 29%, the corresponding international rate is less than one half this percentage, based on a smaller sample of utilities from more than 35 countries.

Distributed Generation Utility Perspective, North America