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Energy Terms | |
| Glossary of Energy Terms | |
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| P | ||
| There are 8 entries in the glossary. | ||
| Pages: 1 | ||
| Term | Definition | |
| PEAK LOAD | The highest electrical demand within a particular period of time. Daily electric peaks on weekdays occur in late afternoon and early evening. Annual peaks occur on hot summer days. | |
| Peaking Capacity | The capacity of generating equipment intended for operation during the hours of highest daily, weekly or seasonal loads. | |
| PETROCHEMICALS | Chemicals made from oil. | |
| PHOTOVOLTAICS | Photovoltaics, or PV for short, is a solar power technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Photovoltaics is also the field of study relating to this technology. Solar cells produce direct current electricity from the sun’s rays, which can be used to power equipment or to recharge a battery. Many pocket calculators incorporate a solar cell. | |
| PUHCA | The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. This act prohibits acquisition of any wholesale or retail electric business through a holding company unless that business forms part of an integrated public utility system when combined with the utility's other electric business. The legislation also restricts ownership of an electric business by non-utility corporations. | |
| Purchased Capacity | The amount of energy and capacity available for purchase from outside the system | |
| PURPA | The Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978. Among other things, this federal legislation requires utilities to buy electric power from private "qualifying facilities," at an avoided cost rate. This avoided cost rate is equivalent to what it would have otherwise cost the utility to generate or purchase that power themselves. Utilities must further provide customers who choose to self-generate a reasonably priced back-up supply of electricity. | |
| PX | The California Power Exchange Corporation, a state chartered, non-profit corporation charged with providing Day-Ahead and Hour-Ahead markets for energy and ancillary services, if it chooses to self-provide, in accordance with the PX tariff. The PX is a Scheduling Coordinator, and is independent of both the ISO and all other market participants. | |
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