| Webster's Online Dictionary |
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| Cooperative electric utility | Energy | An electric utility legally established to be owned by and operated for the benefit of those using its service. The utility company will generate, transmit, and/or distribute supplies of electric energy to a specified area not being serviced by another utility. Such ventures are generally exempt from Federal income tax laws. Most electric cooperatives have been initially financed by the Rural Utilities Service (prior Rural Electrification Administration), U.S. Department of Agriculture. (references) | |
| Cooperative electric utility | Statistics | A common form of business organisation owned and operated by a group of individuals, businesses, and organisations in similar occupations. Co-ops are located primarily in rural areas and are exempt from federal, state, and local taxes. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Electric utility | Energy | 1: A corporation, person, agency, authority or other legal entity that owns and/or operates facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution or sale of electricity primarily for use by the public. (references) | |
| 2: Any person or state agency with a monopoly franchise (including any municipality), which sells electric energy to end-use customers; this term includes the Tennessee valley Authority, but does not include other Federal power marketing agency (from EPAct). (references) | |||
| 3: A legal entity engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution, or sale of electric energy, primarily for use by the public; legally obligated to provide service to the public within its franchised area; and required to file forms listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Part 141. Independent power producers and facilities that qualify as co-generators or small power producers under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act are not considered electric utilities. See Non-utility Power Producers. (references) | |||
| 4: A corporation, person, agency, authority, or other legal entity or instrumentality that owns and/or operates facilities within the United States, its territories, or Puerto Rico for the generation, transmission, distribution, or sale of electric energy primarily for use by the public and files forms listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Part 141. Facilities that qualify as co-generators or small power producers under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) are not considered electric utilities. (references) | |||
| Electric utility | Physics | A company that controls the distribution of electricity in a specific state, area or region. Utilities often own and operate electricity generation and transmission facilities. See FRANCHISE MONOPOLY. It is a corporation, person, agency, authority, or other legal entity or instrumentality that owns and/or operates facilities within the United States, its territories, or Puerto Rico for the generation, transmission, distribution, or sale of electric energy primarily for use by the public and files forms listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Part 141. Facilities that qualify as co-generators or small power producers under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) are not considered electric utilities. (references) | |
| Electric utility affiliate | Physics | A subsidiary or affiliate of an electric utility. Many utilities form affiliates to develop, own and operate independent power facilities. (references) | |
| Electric utility capacity | Statistics | The maximum amount of electricity that a generating unit, power plant or utility can produce under specified conditions. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Electric utility company | Energy | See Electric utility. (references) | |
| Electric utility divestiture | Energy | The separation of one electric utility function from others through the selling of the management and ownership of the assets related to that function. It is most commonly associated with selling generation assets so they are no longer owned or controlled by the shareholders that own the company's transmission and distribution assets. (references) | |
| Electric utility layoff | Statistics | Excess capacity of a generating unit, available for a limited time under the terms of a power sales agreement. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Electric utility losses | Statistics | Electric energy or capacity that is wasted in the normal operation of a power system. Some kilowatt-hours are lost in the form of waste heat in electrical apparatus such as substation conductors. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Electric utility restructuring | Energy | The introduction of competition into at least the generation phase of electricity production, with a corresponding decrease in regulatory control. (references) | |
| Electric utility sector | Energy | 1: The electric utility sector consists of privately and publicly owned establishments that generate, transmit, distribute, or sell electricity primarily for use by the public and that meet the definition of an electric utility. Non-utility power producers are not included in the electric sector. (references) | |
| 2: Privately and publicly owned establishments that generate, transmit, distribute, or sell electricity primarily for use by the public and that meet the definition of an electric utility. Non-utility power producers are not included in the electric utility sector. (references) | |||
| 3: Those privately or publicly owned establishments that generate, transmit, distribute, or sell electricity. (references) | |||
| Electric utility surplus | Statistics | The excess firm energy available from a utility or region for which there is no market at the established rates. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Federal electric utility | Energy | A utility that is either owned or financed by the Federal Government. (references) | |
| Major electric utility | Energy | A utility that, in the last 3 consecutive calendar years, had sales or transmission services exceeding one of the following: (1) 1 million megawatt hours of total annual sales; (2) 100 megawatthours of annual sales for resale; (3) 500 megawatthours of annual gross interchange out; or (4) 500 megawatthours of wheeling (deliveries plus losses) for others. (references) | |
| MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY | Energy | Apower utility system owned and operated by a local jurisdiction. (references) | |
| Municipal electric utility | Physics | A power utility system owned and operated by a local jurisdiction. (references) | |
| Municipally owned electric utility | Statistics | Municipalities are electric utilities owned and operated by a municipal government to serve citizens within their geographic boundaries. They typically consist of a generating plant or plants and a short-haul distribution system. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Privately owned electric utility | Energy | A class of ownership found in the electric power industry where the utility is regulated and authorized to achieve an allowed rate of return. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
