Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) is an example of an existing international framework that an SPS organization might be modeled after. Kierulff showed that it would be extremely difficult for the private marketplace to completely finance an SPS. Thus, the federal government would have to provide a major portion of the funding and/or guarantee investment vehicles in the late 1990's and early 2000's as was done in the early phases of nuclear power and communications satellite development. Control of the system would rest to a large extent with the investors and whatever organization they established after approval of all concerned parties. The federal government would also exercise control through regulation. State and local governments would exercise a degree of regulatory control over siting and operation of the rectenna facilities. However, as Kotin noted^S, some of the key regulatory issues which remain to be resolved involve jurisdictional conflicts between the various levels of government and conflicting siting and land use policies. At the international level, certain control mechanisms already exist for satellites operating in geostationary orbit. The International Telecommunications Union assigns portions of the radiofrequency spectrum to the various users and regulates signal interference characteristics of satellite systems. The organization which develops and maintains the SPS will have to abide by other existing international space treaties and will, itself, almost certainly be the cause of several new international treaties and regulatory bodies. IV.10 Is a disruption of SPS power likely? What happens to an area which derives some or all of its energy from an SPS should such an event occur? The SPS is envisioned as a large base load power system connected to a power grid. It will be handled like any other power source on the grid. As a contingency against loss of power, utilities are required to maintain a portion of their total generating capacity on line as ''spinning reserve". In the event that a unit(s) experience sudden failure (loss of power) these spinning reserve units instanteously cut in to provide power to the grid. Transmission line interties to other utilities and pools are also traditionally used to provide immediate power flow into the grid. A preliminary investigation of the SPS by some electrical engineering experts has found that the SPS may be more reliable than existing power generating systems (nuclear, coal, oil, gas turbine, etc.). ^^SPS would be 58Kotin, A. SPS Societal Assessment: State and Local Regulations as Applied to Microwave Rectenna Facilities, DOE HCP/R-4024-05, October 1978, pp 44-46. 59General Electric Presentation at NASA/Johnson Space Center, August 16, 1979.
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