Database Library
IRE and NICAR's Database Library has data on federal contracts covering fiscal years 1979-2006. The federal contracts database includes the company, contact information, the agency, type of work performed and where the work was performed. Undoubtedly many companies with federal contracts are involved in the power outages.

The National Inventory of Dams includes dam maintenance records, structure, composition and owner, including power-generating dams. This update includes records for almost 80,000 dams. This update includes data through collected through 2002.

See also: an extensive list of data available online from the U.S. Energy Information Agency below, plus detailed information on data forms used by the EIA.

IRE Publications

• The Jan./Feb. 2007 issue of The IRE Journal includes articles by Tom McGinty of Newsday writing about databases and sources for covering utilities and Gary Lenton of The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa., on the increasing interest in expanding nuclear power in the U.S. IRE members can view the issue here.
• Chapter 17 of the Investigative Reporter's Handbook is about "Investigating Energy and Communcations Utilities." The book is available from the IRE Resource Center.
  
• A list of relevant Web sites from Chapter 17 of the Investigative Reporter's Handbook.
  
• In the January/February 2003 issue of The IRE Journal, Charles Davis, executive director of the Freedom of Information Center, writes about a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rule that could restrict access to "critical energy infrastructure information." Davis predicts that the "sneaky maneuver by FERC will be repeated by other agencies."
  

• Story No.18102: The Wall Street Journal reports on the energy crisis in California. The state's economy is threatened as players in the power industry contend over solutions. "The crisis will be an early test for George W. Bush and his cabinet," the Journal reports.
• Story No.18408: Multinational Monitor investigates how huge oil and gas companies close to George W. Bush have profited from the energy crisis in California. "The blackouts ... have many causes. But neither a shortfall a supply nor a surge in demand for electricity is among them," the magazine points out. The story finds that California's consumers and taxpayers are victims of a massive, complex double-theft, first by the biggest electric power utilities, and second by some of the president's closest associates and contributors. Another finding is that the U.S. barons of fossil and nuclear fuel have used the crisis as " a pretext to declare an all-out assault on environmental protection."
• Story No.20915: These stories from Time magazine look at an energy crisis that the U.S. is likely to face. The story reveals that for three decades, the government has not adopted or stuck to any significant energy policy. Subsequent government policies have in fact been marked by sharp reversals of the previous ones.
• Story No.19020: Because of deregulation, energy became part of a full-blown commodity market. In the midst of the power crisis in California, Rick Jurgens of the Contra Costa Times travelled to Houston to figure out the complex world of the energy giants that played a major part. It would be a scant few months before companies like Enron became embroiled in a financial wrongdoing controversy.
• Story No.18832: CBS News investigates the California energy crisis. The investigation found secret meetings between executives of natural gas companies and pipeline operators, price manipulation by Duke Energy, which bought four power plants after deregulation, and sealed testimony about power plants shut down to keep prices high.
• Story No.21775: This series of stories from the Galveston County Daily News investigates the questionable success of the state's power program. The program would not reveal much information concerning customers, profits and its relationship to Reliant Energy Solutions — the program's sole contract. Public entities that could take advantage of the program because it supposedly supports a school fund, find upon research that the program does not give them the best deal. An internal audit showed that the program often exaggerated numbers.
• Story No.18099: The Wall Street Journal reports on growing concerns that the California energy crisis, rising fuel costs and slowly economy would hurt the opening ot Disney's California Adventure Theme Park in Anaheim, Calif. CEO Michale Eisner balks at this notion.
• Story No.18078: The Wall Street Journal examines how George W. Bush handled the energy crisis in California during the first weeks of his presidency. The story finds that Bush "has leaned heavily on Vice President Dick Cheney" in order to "stick doggedly to his chosen public message." The author reports that "Mr. Bush bent his free-market, limited-government principles to accommodate a crisis, but so far only a little: He offered a single two-week extension of Mr. Clinton's executive order directing suppliers to sell power to nearly bankrupt California utilities." The story cites top politicians on how the Western energy crisis will impact Bush's popularity and commitment to open markets.
• Story No.18185: San Francisco Chronicle follows the controversies surrounding the energy crisis in California over a 10-month period. The package of stories examines the political manipulations relating to the talks between the energy companies and the state and federal regulators. Some of the articles also look at how the energy deregulation approach has been applied in other states and with what results. One of the findings is that "despite the huge run-up in prices and revenues, only a handful of regulators today can say whether the energy wholesalers are engaged in brazenly illegal price-fixing, merely unethical market manipulation or just good business." The investigation exposes "the veil of official secrecy that allows the companies to bid on lucrative energy deals behind closed doors."
• Story No.18946: KGTV-San Diego reports on the behind-the-scene role of David Malcolm, member of the San Diego Port Commission, in a "historic deal that put Duke Energy Power services in position to operate the Southbay Power plant, located on port land." Malcolm acted as consultant for Duke Energy and was involved with the company on business deals to acquire power plants. Another major finding is that during the energy crisis in California the Southbay plant had power to spare but this fact remained hidden from the public. After the series aired, the manager at the Duke plants was replaced, and Malcolm resigned. The contest entry file includes supporting materials, among which some Southbay plant's internal documents, press releases, and stories published by The Orange County Register and the San-Diego Union Tribune.
• Story No. 19500: Consumer Reports "tested" claims that deregulation has led to lower prices and better services for consumers. The industries tested were airlines, cable television, telephone service, banking and electricity. They found while some gains have been made, service quaility has deteriorated and consumer rights have sometimes suffered. Published: 2002
• Story No. 18257: The American Prospect looks at problems with energy deficiencies in Illinois, Ohio and New York. The reporter finds that "California isn't a unique failure" because "electricity and deregulation just don't mix." The story explains that electricity cannot obey the supply and demand laws, because it cannot be stored except in minuscule quantities. "Deregulated markets have had to operate at mind-boggling levels of complexity that make the old regulatory approach seem like the very soul of efficiency," reports the magazine. Published: 2001
• Story No. 18320: USA Weekend reports on the energy crisis in California. The article predicts that the ominous blackout scenes there are "merely the opening acts of a drama coming soon to an energy plant near you." The reporter examines the technology industry's concerns about the severity of the crisis, and looks at the role of California's Independent System Operator in overseeing the state electrical grid.
  Published: 2001
• Story No. 17631: The Progressive looks at the deregulation of the energy sector in California, that has caused blackouts and soaring electricity bills. The report examines the possible solutions to the energy crisis. It details the negative effects of the so-called split system, under which "one group of companies generates business; the other group buys power and delivers it."
  Published: 2001
• Story No. 17635: A Fortune investigation reveals that not only is California suffering from a generator shortage, "but overloaded power lines pose a much greater risk of blowing the fuses of the national economy." The story reveals the results of a study finding that "since 1975, annual utility investments in the U.S. power transmission system have fallen by more than half, to about $2 billion, ... [and] meanwhile, sales of power loaded onto the lines have risen more than 100-fold since mid-decade." The report details how "operators of the grid are forced to run it ever closer to its limits" and points to a number of examples of "gridwide voltage drop" or mysterious slowing. The investigation explains how "peak-time line congestion pushes wholesale power prices sky-high." The author warns that this trend "is the main threat to the system nationwide."
  Published: 2001
• Story No. 20067: The Wall Street Journal reports that "cutbacks and computerization have slashed accounts-payable payrolls but also have cost companies billions of dollars in overpayment, sparked conflicts with vendors and opened the way to fraud." The story finds that computers, unlike people, can't always spot errors and fraud, but as new technologies are coming to the workplace, this might change soon.
  Published: 1996

• Tipsheet #1077: Arthur O'Donnell, California Energy Markets, compiled a list of Web sites that provide information on public utilities and regulatory agencies in 1999.
• Tipsheet #1861: Joan Claybrook, Public Citizen, offers a primer to seven separate issues that affect the public: electricity deregulation, medical malpractice, health, auto safety, food, global trade, and campaign finance. Electricity deregulation, medical malpractice, auto safety and campaign finance each have additional information on the subjects in this comprehensive tipsheet.
• Tipsheet #1369: Ken Ward, The Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette, lists and discusses 10 sources of data that may be helpful to reporters investigating water and air quality, pollution, energy usage and other environmental issues.
• Tipsheet #1505: Ron Nixon, IRE and NICAR, and Tom McGinty, Newsday, compiled a list of Web sites helpful in covering the electric utility industry for the annual computer-assisted reporting conference in 2002.
• Tipsheet #1620: Arthur O'Donnell, California Energy Markets, provides a list of Web sites about energy information and electric and gas business news. This is from the 2002 annual IRE conference.
• Tipsheet #1631: Mike Taugher, Contra Costa Times, compiled a list of Web sites about energy, environment related issues and companies involved with energy for a presentation at the 2002 annual IRE conference.
• Tipsheet #1415: Nancy Vogel, Los Angeles Times, compiled a list of several Web sites about reporting on the energy industry for a presentation at the 2001 annual IRE conference.
• Tipsheet #1416: This tipsheet from the 2001 annual IRE conference provides a glossary of energy terms.
  

Companies

• Florida Power and Light

Government

• Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab: Current Energy Supply of and Demand for Electricity in California. This page displays a graph of electricity supply and demand for the state by the hour.
  
• Energy Information Administration
  
  • Nuclear data, reports, analysis surveys from the EIA
  • Electric Power Industry Restructuring and Deregulation from the EIA 
    "This site provides information regarding a variety of aspects on the restructuring and deregulation of the electric power industry."
    
  • Electric Power Transactions & The Interconnected Networks from the EIA.
    This page describes the different types of electric power transactions and the three major power networks in the United States.
    
  • Electric Utility Retail Sales Data from the EIA
    This page contains links to various sales and revenue data tables, in monthly, annual or historical format.
    
  • Energy Data Ranking from the EIA
    This page contains links to tables of energy data rankings, arranged by state, country or company.
    
  • Map of the Main Interconnections of the U.S. Electric Power Grid and the 10 North American Electric Reliability Council Regions from the EIA
    
  • The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) from the EIA
    This RECS has information on the use of energy in United States residential housing units. The information includes the physical characteristics of the housing units and types of fuels used.
    
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) 
  
• e-Library (formerly FERRIS) This Web site is the document retrieval system for the FERC. This system contains more than 20 years of documents submitted to and issued by the FERC.
  

• GAO Reports

  • Canadian Power Imports: Update on Electricity Imports in the Northeast
  • Energy Markets: Results of FERC Outage Study and Other Market Power Studies
  • Electricity Supply: The Effects of Competitive Power Purchases Are Not Yet Certain.
  • Electric Power Transmission: Federal Role in System Use and Regulation
    
  
  
• National Energy Policy, a May 2001 Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group
  
• Distributed Energy and Electric Reliability Program.
  
• Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 
  
• U.S. Department of Energy 
  
• U.S. Department of Energy's Power Outage Study Team was formed in August 1999 to study significant power disturbances that occurred during the summer of 1999 and to make recommendations to avoid similar problems in the future. The team includes power system experts from DOE, the DOE's research laboratories, and academia.
  
• U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce 

Energy-related organizations

• American Public Power Association "The American Public Power Association (APPA) is the service organization for the nation's public power utilities. "
• Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS)
  "The Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS) was formed in 1999 to research, develop, and disseminate new methods, tools, and technologies to protect and enhance the reliability of the U.S. electric power system in the transition to a competitive electricity market structure."
• Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is a trade association for U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies, and serves international affiliates and industry associates worldwide.
• Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
  The EPRI is "a non-profit energy research consortium for the benefit of utility members, their customers, and society. Our mission is to provide science and technology-based solutions of indispensable value to our global energy customers by managing a far-reaching program of scientific research, technology development, and product implementation."
• Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) is the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers, including independent power producers, merchant generators and power marketers.
• Independent Energy Producers (IEPA) is California's oldest and leading trade association representing the interests of developers and operators of independent energy facilities and independent power marketers.
• The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) "NARUC's mission is to serve the public interest by improving the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation. Under State law, NARUC's members have the obligation to ensure the establishment and maintenance of such energy utility services as may be required by the public convenience and necessity, and to ensure that such services are provided at rates and conditions that are just, reasonable and nondiscriminatory for all consumers."
• National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates 
  "NASUCA is an association of 42 advocate offices in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Our members are designated by laws of their respective states to represent the interests of utility consumers before state and federal regulators and in the courts."
• National Energy Marketers Association is a national, non-profit, trade association representing producers, generators, transporters, and marketers of energy services and related technologies throughout the United States.
• North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) 
  "NERC's mission is to ensure that the bulk electric system in North America is reliable, adequate and secure. Since its formation in 1968, NERC has operated successfully as a voluntary organization, relying on reciprocity, peer pressure and the mutual self-interest of all those involved."
• Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program 
  "The Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program works to protect citizens and the environment from the dangers posed by nuclear power and seeks policies that will lead to safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy. We also advocate creation of an agricultural and food distribution system that guarantees safe, wholesome food produced in a humane and sustainable manner, and work to protect the world's fragile water resources from commodification, privatization, and mass diversion."

Miscellaneous

How power grids work, from Howstuffworks.com 

"Powering a Generation of Change" is a project to document the story of electrical power restructuring in North America as it unfolds over the coming years. The project is being conducted by the Division of Information Technology and Society at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History."

Blackout History Project at George Mason University

Data available on the Internet

The Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy links to electricity database files, including:

• Final Form EIA-861 Data File for 2003 
  This is an electric utility data file that includes such information as peak load, generation, electric purchases, sales, revenues, etc. The data source is the survey Form EIA-861, "Annual Electric Utility Report." Data for 2001 are final.

  This file, when unzipped, contains a file named layout.doc with information pertaining to the column headings for the files deployed from f861yr01.exe. This file also contains other useful information on the fields and data presented. The remaining file names are File1.xls, File2.dbf, File3.dbf, File3d.dbf, File4.dbf, and File5.dbf.

  The file F861yr01.exe is a final file of data collected on the Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Utility Report, for the reporting period, calendar year 2001. The zipped .exe file contains 1 formatted .xls file and 5 formatted .dbf files suitable for importing into spreadsheet or database programs.
  

• Form EIA-906 Database
  Monthly Utility Power Plant Database
  This is an electric utility data file that includes information such as net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, prime mover and fuel type. The data sources are the surveys, Form EIA-906, "Power Plant Report" and the discontinued Form EIA-759, "Monthly Power Plant Report." Prior to 1996 all respondents submitted monthly survey responses. Beginning with 1996, two files are available for each year:
  
  The first file (Monthly Data) contains data submitted by those respondents required to file monthly survey responses, and estimates for those respondents only required to submit one annual survey response. The data in this file, therefore, also include for each State: a record for utility ID = "99999" and plant code = "9999" containing data values which represent the arithmetic differences between the "estimated" State totals and the sum of the net generation, consumption, and ending stocks data reported by the respondents on the form. The current year's file will be a "year-to-date" file and is maintained in this monthly format until the data for the final month is finalized.

  The second file (Annual Data) contains data submitted by those respondents required to file monthly survey responses, and annual data for those respondents only required to submit one annual survey response. No estimation procedures are involved.
  

• Also see links to forms that must be filled out and submitted

  EIA Electric Power Forms:

  Listing of Publicly Available and Confidential Data

  The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) is required to publish, and otherwise make available to the public, high-quality statistical data that reflect national electric supply and demand activity as accurately as possible. To meet this obligation, as well as internal DOE requirements for accurate data, the Electric Power Division of the EIA has developed statistical surveys that encompass each significant electric supply and demand activity in the United States. This site provides a list of EIA's electric power survey forms and a chart showing the required data elements for each of those forms and how each data element is treated in regard to confidentiality.
  

• Form EIA-417R: Electric Power System Emergency Report
  Federal reporting requirements for Major System Incidents on Electric Power Systems, 2001

  The U.S. Department of Energy, in order to meet its national security requirements and responsibilities contained in the Federal Response Plan, has established mandatory reporting requirements for electric power system incidents or possible incidents. Such incidents are to be reported to the Department through its Emergency Operations Center on a timely basis.

  These requirements are listed in Sections 205.350 through 205.353 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  

• The EIA-411 data provides the U.S. Department of Energy with a comprehensive source of information about regional electricity supply and demand projections for a five-year advance period and information on the transmission system and supporting facilities. The data collected on this form are used to monitor the current status and trends of the electric power industry and to evaluate the future of the industry. Each of the Regional Councils of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) is asked to submit Form EIA-411 data compiled from data furnished by utilities and other electricity suppliers within their Council areas. Although the Form EIA-411 is a voluntary filing, the generating capacity data collected on Schedule 3, "Generator Information," is included under the mandatory Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report."
  
• State-level spreadsheets with various energy statistics for 2003.
  
• State Electricity Profiles -- in PDF or HTML
  This report profiles the electricity generation of each State, with statistics from 1990, 1994, and 1999. Data are presented for a number of areas including generating capability, electricity generation, fuel use, retail sales, nuclear power, capacity factor, and pollutant emissions.

• Final Form EIA-861 Data File for 2001
  This is an electric utility data file that includes such information as peak load, generation, electric purchases, sales, revenues, etc. The data source is the survey Form EIA-861, "Annual Electric Utility Report." Data for 2001 are final.
  
  This file, when unzipped, contains a file named layout.doc with information pertaining to the column headings for the files deployed from f861yr01.exe. This file also contains other useful information on the fields and data presented. The remaining file names are File1.xls, File2.dbf, File3.dbf, File3d.dbf, File4.dbf, and File5.dbf.
  
  The file F861yr01.exe is a final file of data collected on the Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Utility Report, for the reporting period, calendar year 2001. The zipped .exe file contains 1 formatted .xls file and 5 formatted .dbf files suitable for importing into spreadsheet or database programs.
  
  
• Form EIA-906 Database
  Monthly Utility Power Plant Database
  This is an electric utility data file that includes information such as net generation, fuel consumption, fuel stocks, prime mover and fuel type. The data sources are the surveys, Form EIA-906, "Power Plant Report" and the discontinued Form EIA-759, "Monthly Power Plant Report." Prior to 1996 all respondents submitted monthly survey responses. Beginning with 1996, two files are available for each year:
  The first file (Monthly Data) contains data submitted by those respondents required to file monthly survey responses, and estimates for those respondents only required to submit one annual survey response. The data in this file, therefore, also include for each State: a record for utility ID = "99999" and plant code = "9999" containing data values which represent the arithmetic differences between the "estimated" State totals and the sum of the net generation, consumption, and ending stocks data reported by the respondents on the form. The current year's file will be a "year-to-date" file and is maintained in this monthly format until the data for the final month is finalized.
  
  The second file (Annual Data) contains data submitted by those respondents required to file monthly survey responses, and annual data for those respondents only required to submit one annual survey response. No estimation procedures are involved.
  
  
• Also see links to forms that must be filled out and submitted
  
  EIA Electric Power Forms:
  
  Listing of Publicly Available and Confidential Data
  
  The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) is required to publish, and otherwise make available to the public, high-quality statistical data that reflect national electric supply and demand activity as accurately as possible. To meet this obligation, as well as internal DOE requirements for accurate data, the Electric Power Division of the EIA has developed statistical surveys that encompass each significant electric supply and demand activity in the United States. This site provides a list of EIA's electric power survey forms and a chart showing the required data elements for each of those forms and how each data element is treated in regard to confidentiality.
  
  
• Form EIA-417R: Electric Power System Emergency Report
  Federal reporting requirements for Major System Incidents on Electric Power Systems, 2001
  
  The U.S. Department of Energy, in order to meet its national security requirements and responsibilities contained in the Federal Response Plan, has established mandatory reporting requirements for electric power system incidents or possible incidents. Such incidents are to be reported to the Department through its Emergency Operations Center on a timely basis.
  
  These requirements are listed in Sections 205.350 through 205.353 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  
  
• The EIA-411 data provides the U.S. Department of Energy with a comprehensive source of information about regional electricity supply and demand projections for a five-year advance period and information on the transmission system and supporting facilities. The data collected on this form are used to monitor the current status and trends of the electric power industry and to evaluate the future of the industry. Each of the Regional Councils of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) is asked to submit Form EIA-411 data compiled from data furnished by utilities and other electricity suppliers within their Council areas. Although the Form EIA-411 is a voluntary filing, the generating capacity data collected on Schedule 3, “Generator Information,” is included under the mandatory Form EIA-860, “Annual Electric Generator Report.”
  
  
• State-level spreadsheets with various energy statistics for 2001.
  
  
• State Electricity Profiles -- in PDF or HTML
  This report profiles the electricity generation of each State, with statistics from 1990, 1994, and 1999. Data are presented for a number of areas including generating capability, electricity generation, fuel use, retail sales, nuclear power, capacity factor, and pollutant emissions.