By Jesse Berst

In a press release issued this week, the utilities called the FERC decision "a positive development."

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"We are pleased that the FERC has conditionally approved the merger, our Joint Dispatch Agreement and Joint Open Access Transmission Tariff," said Jim Rogers, chairman, president and CEO of Duke Energy. "We will quickly complete the evaluation of the conditions in the orders while working to obtain the remaining regulatory approvals to close the merger on July 1."

"Receiving the FERC's conditional orders last Friday is a major milestone for this transaction," said Bill Johnson, chairman, president and CEO of Progress Energy. "Both companies have accelerated the integration planning efforts necessary to complete this transaction by July 1 and begin to deliver the substantial benefits of the merger as soon as possible."

The two utilities still need the blessing of regulators in North and South Carolina. They have asked for a ruling by July 1 to meet the July 8 deadline when their agreement expires.

Exelon touts expansion plans

In our ongoing article series "Electronomics," we have asked whether utility CEOs are asking the wrong question. Some are asking how to survive the coming transition instead of how to prosper from it.

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But put Exelon President and CEO Chris Crane in the "prosper" category, at least according to a report in the Wall Street Journal in which he promises to pursue new business opportunities "every place we can."

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Since Exelon closed its purchase of Constellation Energy in March, "we are after all levels of sales activity and all levels of channels to market." Crane said Exelon would, for example, expand its retail business into the deregulated markets of Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland. He also sees California, Arizona, Michigan and Ohio as future retail markets.

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Jesse Berst is the founder and chief analyst of Smart Grid News.com, the industry's oldest and largest smart grid site. A frequent keynoter at industry events in the U.S. and abroad, he also serves on advisory committees for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Institute for Electric Efficiency. He often provides strategic consulting to large corporations and venture-backed startups. He is a member of the advisory boards of GridGlo and Calico Energy Services.