[Elecraft] Re: BPL - OT

[David A. Belsley]

On Mar 25, 2004, at 12:32 PM, Indy wrote:

> If PNM were to profit from BPL, it would have to return that profit to 
> the
> public while displacing internet service provider jobs in the private
> sector.  i don't think a regulated public service company should be 
> allowed
> to take advantage of its position competing in another industry.
>
>

Public utilities are usually regulated so as to receive a "fair rate of 
return" on their capital.  One of the problems here is that the costs 
to society of the corruption of the HF bands is not something that is 
priced by the market, so there is no way to attribute the costs to the 
power companies in determining the rate of return.  It is market 
failures of this sort that are one of governments' main 
responsibilities to deal with and handle appropriately. Unfortunately, 
our governments, at all levels, are miserably poor at doing this, and 
this is particularly true these days.  The main onus, when situations 
cross state lines, is with the federal government and its regulatory 
commissions.  If they don't do their jobs, or do them with special 
interests in mind, we all suffer -- and it looks like that is exactly 
what is going to happen.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy

-------------------------------------
david a. belsley
professor of economics