With market liberalization, consolidation, internationalization, pressure on prices and the need for improvement of efficiency and affectivity, the utilities industry is swiftly changing. The need for massive new investment in capacity and infrastructure has prompted cross-border investment in what were previously purely domestic operations. Further, the power sector is being transformed by measures designed to address the climate change implications of carbon emissions..
Cambridge Consulting develops solutions in close cooperation with its clients ,solutions that are ready for decision-making and implementation. And make surety to maintain a secure and reliable supply, while anticipating change. integrate new technologies to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change, compete for resources to replace aging infrastructure and build new capacity, secure reliable energy supply, influence, anticipate and comply with regulations and markets and offer affordable energy to customers.
the electric utility industry is mammoth in size. In 2009, the U.S. electricity industry supplied 4.0 million gig watt hours (GWh), of which 70.2% was from combustible fuels. The International Energy Agency predicts that electricity demand will double over the next 25 years. Not only will that require a lot of electricity generation from nuclear and coal , but it will also require a significant investment in the transmission lines, substations, meters, and other equipment and services that bring electricity into the homes and businesses that depend on it. The transmission and distribution of electricity is the core business of electric utilities. The electricity industry value chain consists of four elements. First, there is energy generation, requiring both a fuel source (e.g., coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind energy)) and a power plant to convert that fuel source into electricity. Second, electricity transmission involves both transforming generated electricity into electricity that can be transmitted over power lines and matching end user requirements (demand) with energy availability (supply). After transmission, electricity must be distributed to individual end users via a vast network of power lines and substations. Electric utilities often own miles of power and transmission lines- PG&E, the nation’s 2nd largest utility, owns over 100,000 miles of distribution lines alone. Lastly, there is delivery, where electricity is transformed again and delivered directly to an end user. Delivery also involves metering and billing.
Understanding the business of electric utilities requires understanding which parts of the value chain they control– and which parts they don’t. As indicated by the explanation above, electricity is a natural monopoly–there is typically only one power line connected to your house. While one company may own that power line, they do not have a lot of say in the prices they charge due to government regulations. If prices went up would you switch utility companies? That would be difficult to impossible, depending on where you live.
http://www.wikinvest.com/industry/Electric_Utilities
UTILITY DUE DILIGENCE AND COST ESTIMATING
Identifying the utility related issues, as a part of a site acquisition proforma, land use planning or tentative map preparation, is critical in determining how the project can be best utilized. Understanding the potential conflicts that may occur between existing utility systems and proposed project improvements in the early stages of the project will help you to determine what should be anticipated.
Cambridge Consulting is experienced in site due diligence by regularly performing these site studies on a weekly basis for lenders, utility companies, municipalities, developers and engineer/land planners as well utility research includes obtaining utility company as-builts/facility maps, conducting interviews with key utility company staff and field verifying the site conditions.
Accurately determining the magnitude of the utility related costs is essential to the financial success of a project. Cambridge Consulting can perform cost estimates ranging from comprehensive and detailed to order of magnitude and ballpark.
http://www.butskoutility.com/services/
UTILITY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS
When faced with the complex task of reviewing dry utility issues and how they relate to the potential environmental challenges for each development, Cambridge Consulting is uniquely qualified to answer these questions for clients during the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) stage of development. Every dry utility study thoroughly covers the complex research needed to complete the EIR including: calculating gas and electric load studies, determining locations of existing dry utilities near each project, researching regional gas and electric transmission/generation infrastructure and investigating California electric industry de-regulation and preparing a site exhibit.
UTILITY PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
the management and coordination of the utility planning and design process can be complicated and a difficult task. This process usually involves coordinating between each project team member (consultants, contractors, project management, construction management, sales and marketing). By effectively communicating activities and managing tasks, schedules are more likely to be maintained and financial budgets met. Cambridge Consulting can ensure clear and timely communication and project control.
UTILITY CONSTRUCTION COORDINATION
Ranging from shared construction responsibilities to turnkey utility installations, Cambridge Consulting offers its’ clients a full range of construction services through its strategic alliances , Options can range from bid quantities and contractor procurement and utility installation and energizing coordination. By combining the design and construction options and services, better control over the entire utility system process can be achieved.
Independent Power Project Enhancement
To meet the needs of companies that own, build, operate, or maintain power plants anywhere in the world, Cambridge Consulting can review contracts and identify political risk exposures, lender requirements and local insurance requirements, and we can work with clients when projects are still on the drawing board. We have worked with project principles and lenders to structure deals with credit enhancements that lower clients’ financing costs and allow projects to go forward with the highest degree of lender confidence.
Revenue cycle operation
Utility customer care operations typically focus most of their cost, quality and productivity improvement strategies on their contact center operations. Though worthwhile, this emphasis on the contact center often comes at the expense of another, equally important area: revenue cycle operations. Cambridge Consulting can provide meter reading, billing, invoicing, payments and credit management processes back-office functions that typically represent the vast majority of the total cost in a customer care operation.
Revamp and expansion
Whether our clients are planning a grassroots refinery, upgrade, expansion or a single unit revamp, we help them shape or re-shape their project to get the ‘green light’ to proceed with their investment, developing phased investment plans, optimizing the refinery configuration, and using innovation and creativity to meet objectives.
Cambridge Consulting can add value in these areas : Market analysis in association with leading market consultants, Master-planning & investment planning for revamps, upgrades & grassroots facilities, such as : Linear programming, Configuration optimization, Objective technology selection & evaluation, Licensor evaluation & selection, Site selection. Also, conceptual plot plans, Environmental planning & permitting, Energy efficiency & integration, Total integration of utility & offsite systems, Hydrogen management & optimization.
Employee/Workforce Consulting
Cambridge Consulting assists power and utility clients on matters related to employee benefits, absence management, workforce composition, performance optimization, international acquisitions, workers compensation, managing change and merger integration.
Environmental Services
Cambridge Consulting delivers a broad range of related services associated with environmental clean up, cost capping and risk strategy to ensure that the costs associated with clean-ups are contained within the projected budget.
Business continuity support
It is all about providing the organization with a checklist and useful ideas on matching key business continuity management processes to their company A broad range of technologies can support a company’s business continuity planning and implementation—and reduce the impact of disruptions from natural disasters, technology failures or criminal acts.
Cambridge Consulting helps organizations identify their key products and services and the threats. Planning and exercising minimizes the impact of potential disruption. Because without business continuity, a natural or man-made disaster could result in:
- Loss of work to competitors
- Failures within your supply chain
- Loss of reputation
- Human Resources issues
- Health and Safety liabilities
- Higher insurance premiums