Synapse provided testimony before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities regarding the appropriate use of the New Jersey system benefits charge, on behalf of the New Jersey Public Interest Interveners.  The testimony identified the potential energy savings and the likely air emissions benefits of energy efficiency programs, assessed the cost-effectiveness of the programs, and recommended the amount of the system benefits charge that should be allocated to energy efficiency programs.  Project completed in 1998.

Synapse drafted comments on the Energy Information Administration’s notice regarding the continued availability of electric industry data.  Synapse also provided technical support in an on-going effort to negotiate multi-party recommendations to EIA on data collection and confidentiality.  Project completed in August 1998.

Synapse addressed the advantages of delivering energy efficiency programs through municipal aggregators, as well as the appropriate amount of funding for such efforts.  The results were provided in the testimony of Tim Woolf before the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy in Docket No. 97-111. Testimony filed in January 1998.

Synapse analyzed the economic distortions to electricity markets by grandfathering older power plants under the Clean Air Act.  The study estimated that grandfathering allowed existing coal plants to avoid paying roughly $9 billion per year in control costs that are now required of new plants.  Requiring all US coal plants to meet environmental standards comparable to those that apply to new power plants would reduce SO2 and NOx emissions by roughly 75 percent, but would not result in the retirement of many existing coal units.  The study also analyzed policies to make air emissions regulations comparable for new and existing plants.  Report dated June 1998.

Synapse conducted a study requested by the Legislature to "examine how a competitive electric industry may be structured or regulated to protect electric power trade and commerce from unlawful restraints, price discrimination, price fixing, oligopolization, and monopolization."  Synapse reviewed several analyses of market power in New England, including Hartman and Tabors for the Massachusetts Attorney General, Hieronymus for NEPOOL, and Pace for Massachusetts Electric.  Synapse also conducted independent modeling analysis of market power in New England under various assumptions about market structure and mitigation.  Report dated December 1998.

Synapse prepared an analysis of the costs associated with nuclear power plant decommissioning options and recommended that guidelines be established regarding the use of money raised for nuclear power plant decommissioning trust funds.  The results were presented in the testimony of Bruce Biewald before the California Public Utilities Commission in Docket No. 97-12-020. Rebuttal testimony filed in August 1998.

Synapse worked with the Global Development and Environment Institute to study the implications of ozone and NOx that is transported into the Northeast region from Midwest states.  This study compared the costs of controlling NOx from the electricity sectors in both regions and estimated the additional costs that were expected to be incurred in the Northeast to offset the NOx transported from the Midwest.  Project completed in 1998.

Synapse prepared an economic analysis of the Green Mountain Power Company’s above-market costs of its power contract with Hydro-Québec.  The Vermont Public Service Board disallowed recovery of a substantial portion of the contract costs, based upon Bruce Biewald’s analysis and finding that the contract was not economically used and useful.  Testimony filed in October 1997.

Synapse conducted an economic analysis of a proposed 1,000 MW natural gas combined-cycle power plant. The results were presented in the testimony of Bruce Biewald before the Mississippi Public Service Commission in Docket No. 97-UA-496. Testimony filed in November 1997.

The Connecticut Attorney General retained Synapse Energy Economics to provide technical and policy support regarding the State’s electric industry restructuring process.  Synapse addressed the following issues: stranded costs, market power, and environmental protection.  Project completed in 1997.

Synapse, with Tellus Institute, analyzed sustainable technologies and electricity restructuring for the New England Governors’ Conference.  This project included the identification of barriers to renewable generation and current programs to overcome those barriers, as well as recommendations for policies to promote the development and use of renewable generating technologies in New England.  Report dated November 1997.

Synapse Energy Economics and Resource Insight evaluated the market power implications of the proposed merger of Allegheny Power System and Duquesne Light Company.  The results were presented in the testimony of Bruce Biewald before the Maryland Public Service Commission. Project completed in 1997.

Synapse conducted a behavioral modeling analysis of electricity market power in New York City given transmission constraints.  Bruce Biewald testified on behalf of the City in ConEd’s restructuring docket.  Synapse reviewed the market power analysis conducted by Dr. Hieronymus for ConEd.  Testimony filed in April 1997.

Bruce Biewald prepared “Electric Industry Restructuring and Environmental Sustainability” for the 17^th North American Conference of the United States Association for Energy Economics and the International Association for Energy Economics in Boston, Massachusetts in October 1996.