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U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC 20585 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 2, 1997 NOTE TO EDITORS: This note is intended to caution editors and reporters in the use of Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics when covering the U.S. electricity industry. With the world of electricity generation and marketing rapidly changing, and public interest growing, EIA hopes to prevent any misinterpretation of EIA statistics. Data users are cautioned to be alert to the coverage of the data. Most historical electricity data series cover electric utilities only. In fact, the electric utilities now account for only about 88 percent of the entire industry (see attached table). The nonutility (or non-traditional) sector, which includes cogenerators, small power producers, and independent power producers, accounts for the remaining 12 percent and is rapidly growing in importance. Until now, EIA statistics have portrayed mainly the utility side of the industry. Data on the nonutility sector were very limited; they still lack the breadth and depth of the coverage of the electric utility part of the industry. To improve our service and help prevent confusion in the future, EIA will: in the short-term, integrate utility and nonutility data into our products as soon as we can (e.g., the Annual Energy Review 1996, published in July 1997, and the August 1997 Monthly Energy Review now include some nonutility data), and; in the long-term, move as rapidly as possible to broaden our coverage of the entire electric power industry. In the interim, readers are advised to use caution when making statistical generalizations about the electric power industry and to be alert to the distinction between utility and nonutility electricity providers. For further information on this topic please call Thomas Welch on (202) 586-1178. EIA-NOTE-97-01 Contact: National Energy Information Center Infoctr@eia.doe.gov Phone:(202) 586-8800 FAX:(202) 586-0727 URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/press/press68.html If you are having technical problems with this site please contact the EIA Webmaster at mailto:wmaster@eia.doe.gov

Home > Press Releases

Press Releases

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 1997

NOTE TO EDITORS:

This note is intended to caution editors and reporters in the use of Energy Information Administration (EIA) statistics when covering the U.S. electricity industry. With the world of electricity generation and marketing rapidly changing, and public interest growing, EIA hopes to prevent any misinterpretation of EIA statistics.

Data users are cautioned to be alert to the coverage of the data. Most historical electricity data series cover electric utilities only. In fact, the electric utilities now account for only about 88 percent of the entire industry (see attached table).

The nonutility (or non-traditional) sector, which includes cogenerators, small power producers, and independent power producers, accounts for the remaining 12 percent and is rapidly growing in importance. Until now, EIA statistics have portrayed mainly the utility side of the industry. Data on the nonutility sector were very limited; they still lack the breadth and depth of the coverage of the electric utility part of the industry.

To improve our service and help prevent confusion in the future, EIA will:

in the short-term, integrate utility and nonutility data into our products as soon as we can (e.g., the Annual Energy Review 1996, published in July 1997, and the August 1997 Monthly Energy Review now include some nonutility data), and;

in the long-term, move as rapidly as possible to broaden our coverage of the entire electric power industry.

In the interim, readers are advised to use caution when making statistical generalizations about the electric power industry and to be alert to the distinction between utility and nonutility electricity providers. For further information on this topic please call Thomas Welch on (202) 586-1178.

EIA-NOTE-97-01

Contact:

National Energy Information Center

Infoctr@eia.doe.gov

Phone:(202) 586-8800

FAX:(202) 586-0727

URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/press/press68.html

If you are having technical problems with this site please contact the EIA Webmaster at mailto:wmaster@eia.doe.gov