Replies to post #19087 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[biotech_researcher]

Shell’s venture into electricity. Following Enron’s business model, except not as leveraged. But, with just trading, I see this as a short term experience for Shell

[semi_infinite]

Enron controlled enough power plants and portions of the southwest grid network to surge choke points and thereby manipulated spot prices. They also got other west coast and Canadian independent power producers in on the power surge and brown out game. That's how they made windfall money in trading. California utility commissioners had to swallow Enron's deregulation suggestions via lobbying efforts years prior to the gaming so they get equal blame. It will be hard for anybody to duplicate Enron's model now that the gaming aspects have been exposed. NEE manages to thrive generating wind power but they have first mover advantage. Not sure how RDS plans to dominate intermediation.