The paper reviews world-power demand: energy resource, environmental, technological, financial, and political. International perspectives on the future of power generation and transmission to early next century in Germany, Italy, France, Japan, and the United States are discussed. Following reunification, the two parts of Germany have significantly different supply situations. Demand in Western Germany at this time is reasonable while Eastern Germany's demand decrease has been dramatic. Discussed are nuclear power stations in Eastern Germany that are being closed down on safety grounds and the construction of semifinished nuclear plants that has been halted. Economic use of energy and combined heat and power is also evaluated. The paper then discusses the Italian energy sector, which is the most import and hydrocarbon dependent of any of the major European economies. Fifty-eight percent of the fuel currently used by the state-owned utility ENEL, is oil. After Chernobyl, the Italian nuclear program was stopped. Distribution of the generation between Nuclear and Hydro units in France is then reviewed International interconnections between France and European countries are then discussed Future Generation in France, as at this time, will be mainly nuclear using PWR's. Three major policy agendas for Japan are reviewed These are: 1) effective use of energy; 2) appropriate energy supplies or the best mix; and 3) active promotion of international cooperation in all energy matters. Current supply capacity in Japan of 164 GW will increase to about 224 GW towards the end of the century. The additional 60 GW capacity will be comprised of approximately 20 GW nuclear, 15 GW oil, 15 GW coal, and 10 GW hydro, etc. A 1000-kV trunk line to transmit nuclear power to Metropolitan areas that is under construction is also discussed. The paper then examines proposed changes to Clean Air Acts to reduce SO2 emissions on electric power generation in the United States. Utilities may have to consider short-term measures such as rescheduling of the dispatch order, installation of scrubbers, and fuel switching as well as long term decisions such as plant decommissioning and reexamination of environmentally acceptable ''clean'' resources. In transmission, fast-acting solid-state thyristor controllers will enable increased power transfers over existing corridors while maintaining transient and dynamic stability. Of significance are thyristor controlled series compensators, solid-state phase shifters, advanced static VAR compensators, and solid-state dynamic braking reactors. Upgrading of lines on existing rights of way will receive increased attention in future years.
