Book excerpt: A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK IN LAYMAN'S TERMS AT THE MANY ASPECTS OF THE PROVISION OF ELECTRIC POWER, BY TWO VETERAN EXECUTIVES AND RESPECTED EXPERTS Technological advances and changes in government policy and regulation have altered the electric power industry in recent years and will continue to impact it for quite some time. Fully updated with the latest changes to regulation, structure, and technology, this new edition of Understanding Electric Power Systems offers a real-world view of the industry, explaining how it operates, how it is structured, and how electricity is regulated and priced. It includes extensive references for the reader and will be especially useful to lawyers, government officials, regulators, engineers, and students, as well as the general public. The book explains the physical functioning of electric power systems, the electric power business in today's environment, and the related institutions, including recent changes in the roles of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Reliability Company. Significant changes that are affecting the industry are covered in this new edition, including: The expanded role of the federal government in the planning and operation of the nation's electric utilities New energy laws and a large number of FERC regulations implementing these laws Concerns over global warming and potential impacts on the electric industry Pressures for expansion of the electric grid and the implementation of "smart-grid" technologies The growing importance of various energy-storage technologies and renewable energy sources New nuclear generation technologies The 2009 economic stimulus package