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Unable to retrench like their unregulated counterparts, utilities are investing more than they were just a few years ago while paying record spreads over risk-free rates for financing. At the same time, revenues are under pressure due to softening power prices and an economically driven drop in demand. The past three months have seen a 1.8 per cent drop in US power usage versus the same period a year ago, according to the Edison Electric Institute. Adding insult to injury, Macquarie Research reckons regulators might become less generous when setting rates since compressed Treasury note yields may be used to justify a lower regulated return on equity.

According to a study from Clarion University, Pennsylvania, USA each step in the current US process of building and running a nuclear plant, from mining the uranium ores to disposing of the wastes, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, the article states that for nuclear power to be a feasible alternative energy source the entire process would need to be more efficient. This study gives a view on nuclear power which includes long standing ideals. The paper seems to offer an intermediate review on issues around the subject of nuclear, in the wider energy debate.

Leadership in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are calling on the Department of Energy (DOE) to allocate US $250 million of the $2.5 billion in stimulus funding for renewable energy research and development to the emerging marine renewable energy industry. The funding would help develop wave, current and tidal energy technologies

DOE Offers $2.4 Billion to Support Next-Generation Electric Vehicles President Barack Obama announced on March 19 that DOE is offering up to $2.4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to support next-generation plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and their advanced battery components. Of the $2.4 billion, $1.5 billion in grants will go to U.S. manufacturers to produce high-efficiency batteries and their components; $500 million in grants will go to U.S. manufacturers to produce other components needed for electric vehicles, such as electric motors; and $400 million will go towards projects that demonstrate and evaluate plug-in hybrids and other electric infrastructure concepts. When these plug-in hybrid vehicles are offered for sale, U.S. residents who purchase them will be able to claim a tax credit of up to $7,500. Building a plug-in hybrid vehicle industry in the United States will create tens of thousands of jobs and will reduce our nation's dependence on foreign oil.

Ohio-based supplier of specialty copper alloy products Brush Engineered Materials Inc. reported second quarter results. Q2 2009 sales were US$174.1 million, 29% lower than the same period a year ago but an improvement of 29% from the first quarter this year. Net loss was US$0.8 million versus net income of US$7.2 million in Q2 2008. The Specialty Engineered Alloys segment reported Q2 sales of US$41.2 million, compared to sales of US$83.0 million the same period in 2008. Operating loss for Q2 was US$9.3 million compared to an operating profit of US$4.8 million a year ago. The decline in segment sales was primarily due to the effect of the severe global recession in key markets including telecommunications, computer, automotive electronics, oil and gas, aerospace and heavy equipment. A portion of the decline was due to lower metal prices. The company is foreseeing an improving order book and is expecting to generate a slight profit in Q3 this year with higher sales volume and positive impact from its cost-reduction activities.

International Wire Group announced results for the second quarter ended 30 June 2009. Net sales for the quarter were US$102.0 million, compared to US$199.9 million for the same period in 2008. The decline was due to a lower copper price and decreased volume. Operating income for the second quarter was US$1.3 million compared to US$10.9 million. The lower income was attributed to lower sales volume in all business segments but was partially offset by operating cost reductions and lower selling and administrative expenses. Net loss was US$0.9 million, compared to net income of US$5.6 million.

It was announced that Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems will close its New Model Development Centre by April 2011. The facility is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, engaging in the development of wire harnesses and electrical components for the automotive industry. Some local operations will move to Marysville, Ohio and Lexington to be closer to end-users. In addition, some production operations will migrate to Mexico. The decision of the company will result in some 100 job losses.

In the 9th World Copper Conference, organised by CRU in Santiago, Chile, Freeport-McMoRan said that they are 'enormously enthusiastic' about copper's long-term outlook. However, in the short-run, the company waits to see that demand has recovered in most parts of the world, especially in the US market. Confidence will improve when consumers start spending and businesses start investing and employing people.

It was reported that Southwire sold a second copper wirerod system to South Korean Taihan Electric Wire Co. Southwire will engage in the design of all the operating equipment for Taihan Electric, including the installation of its SCR 6000 system, which is capable of producing 260,000 tonnes of copper wirerod per annum at a rate of 40 tonnes per hour. The fist copper wirerod system was delivered to Taihan Electric in 1980. In total, Southwire has sold more than 80 continuous-cast SCR systems worldwide.

General Cable said that operating income in Q4 2010 increased by 50% to US$63.2M from US$42.1M in the previous quarter. The company said that Q4 was the third consecutive quarter of sequential volume improvement, particularly due to better than expected demand across Europe and strong demand for transmission products in the US and Brazil. It was commented that sales volume of transmission products in the US reached an all-time quarterly high in Q4. It is anticipated that General Cable will see sales volume grow by 2% q-o-q in Q1 2011supported by strong demand in North America and elsewhere.

The electricity sector accounts for almost 35 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, and 40 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Over 80 percent of GHG emissions associated with electricity generation are from the combustion of coal, with nearly all the rest due to natural gas and petroleum combustion. U.S. electricity sales are split among the residential (37 percent), commercial (36 percent), and industrial (27 percent) sectors, where primary uses vary by sector. Over the past 30 years the U.S. electricity sector has become less carbon intensive, and the U.S. economy has grown less electricity-intensive.

Hussey Copper Ltd, the Philadelphia-based copper semis fabricator, is rumoured to be up for sale and industry sources said that a deal is likely to be struck imminently. The company has recently been struggling to finance elevated input costs, attributed to high copper prices. In a bid to alleviate cash-flow issues stemming from the higher cost of financing, Hussey firstly reduced its payment terms in January from a 45-day to a 30-day basis. Two months later, the company asked customers to pay for freight charges on orders, which mills' traditionally absorbed into their own costs. Hussey manufactures copper and copper alloy rolled products, rods and electrical bar at two operations located in Leetsdale, PA and Eminence, KY.

China headquartered, Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group Inc. has not yet broken ground at its proposed USD$100M copper pipe and tube plant in Thomasville, Alabama. The company was expected to begin construction of its first U.S. semis fabricating operation between July and August. The facility is planned to supply 100Mlbs/y of products to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning sector.

Hussey Copper Ltd., the US based manufacturer of copper and copper alloy rolled products, rods and electrical bar, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 27th September following a liquidity problem attributed to sustained high copper prices. It is also reported that Kataman Metals, a trading firm involved in the primary and secondary copper markets, agreed to purchase assets belonging to the company. Kataman is believed to have supplied materials to Hussey in the past. The sale is expected to take a further 60 to 90 days.

A fire broke out at Mueller Industries' Wynne factory, severely damaging a building which houses the facility's casting operations for copper tube production, as well as the manufacturing of PVC fittings and fabrication of line sets for air conditioning applications. No one was injured in the fire, however it was reported that 170 of the plant's 465 employees have been laid off. The company hopes to spread lost production amongst its 16 other US-based facilities, secure third-party sourcing and provide ongoing supply to customers.

Olin Brass Corporation, the US based manufacturer of copper and copper-alloy flat rolled products and fabricated components, said that the top challenges facing brass mills are weak end-use demand, volatile copper prices and overcapacity. The company estimates that the average capacity utilisation rate is just 55-60% in the US. In addition, it expects consumption of copper strip products in the US to total 829Mlbs in 2011, down from 1600Mlbs in 2000.

General Cable, the US wire and cable maker, announced that its net income in Q3 2009 amounted to US$16.4 million compared with US$50.5 million in the same period last year. This is a 68% y-o-y plunge. Net sales in Q3 2009 added up to US$1.08 billion, down by 25% y-o-y on a metal adjusted basis. In the same period, operating income plummeted by 59% y-o-y to US$49.4 million. The company expects that in Q4 markets in developing regions will perform relatively better compared with developed regions. This is partly attributed to infrastructure projects and better credit conditions.