This report examines the Internet's emerging role as a strategic tool for electric utilities. As the Internet continues to grow rapidly, many electric utilities are hurrying to employ it for internal and external business functions including marketing, communications, reserving transmission capacity, and managing widely dispersed projects and workforces. Several have developed innovative applications with potential to improve customer services and foster energy efficiency. This report presents the results of original surveys of electric utility web sites and information managers, describes innovative Internet applications currently in use, and discusses how the Internet can be used as a strategic tool for utilities faced with stiffening competition.
--Author's foreword.
