Balancing the scales: Data on electricity supply and demand resources

In the energy arena, the greatest data needs concern the costs and performance of demand-side management (DSM) programs, which are likely to grow in size and importance. It is difficult to assess the contributions that utility DSM programs could make to resolving national energy problems because comprehensive and accurate data on such programs do not exist. As debates continue over acid rain, global warming, integrated resource planning, competitive bidding to provide resources to utilities, and energy-efficiency and load-management programs, the need will increase for comprehensive and accurate information on utility DSM programs. Such programs will increase in scope and size because of concerns about environmental quality, because of the need to improve economic productivity, and because state regulatory commissions will provide financial incentives to utilities for implementation of successful DSM programs. This report discusses the data that utilities collect on the supply and delivery of electricity (i.e., the production, transmission, and distribution system) and the data collected on the DSM programs they operate. It will come as no surprise to most readers that there is a substantial imbalance between the information available on these two types of resources. 49 refs., 15 figs., 11 tabs.