Glossary of Energy Terms "N"

Nacelle: The structure at the top of the wind turbine tower just behind (or, in some cases, in front of) the wind turbine blades that houses the key components of the wind turbine, including the rotor shaft, gearbox, and generator.

Nameplate Capacity: The full–load continuous rating of a generator, prime mover, or other electric equipment under specified conditions as designated by the manufacturer. It is usually indicated on a nameplate attached to the equipment.

Naphthas: Refined or partly refined light distillates with an approximate boiling point range of 27 degrees to 221 degrees Centigrade. Blended further or mixed with other materials, they make high–grade motor gasoline or jet fuel. Also, used as solvents, petrochemical feedstocks, or as raw materials for the production of town gas.

National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC): An advisory council composed of governmental agencies of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers. "The chief objective is to serve the consumer interest by seeking to improve the quality and effectiveness of public regulation in America."

National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): A national advisory council which provides services to state legislatures "by bringing together information from all states to forge workable answers to complex policy questions."

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): NOAA is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA's National Weather Service provides official U.S. weather, marine, fire and aviation forecasts, warnings, meteorological products, climate forecasts and information about meteorology. NOAA's National Hurricane Center provides detailed location and forecasting of tropical storms and hurricanes.

Natural Gas: A mixture of hydrocarbons and small quantities of various nonhydrocarbons existing in a gaseous phase or in solution with crude oil in natural underground reservoirs.

Natural Gas Storage Regions: The U.S. Department of Energy divides the United States into three regions for planning purposes. A map is available. The three regions include the states listed below:

• West Region: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, and Utah.
• East Region: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
• Producing Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV): Vehicles that are powered by compressed or liquefied natural gas.

Natural Gasoline: A mixture of liquids extracted from natural gas and suitable for blending with ordinary oil–derived gasoline.

Natural Monopoly: A situation where one firm can produce a given level of output at a lower total cost than can any combination of multiple firms. Natural monopolies occur in industries which exhibit decreasing average long–run costs due to size (economies of scale). According to economic theory, a public monopoly governed by regulation is justified when an industry exhibits natural monopoly characteristics.

Net Energy Consumption or Net End–Use Energy Consumption: End–use energy consumption excluding electrical system energy losses.

Net Interstate Flow of Electricity/Losses (formerly called Net Interstate Flows and Losses of Electricity): The difference between the sum of electricity sales and electricity losses within Nebraska and the total amount of electricity generated within the state. A positive number indicates that more electricity (including associated losses) came into Nebraska than went out of Nebraska during the year; likewise, a negative number indicates that more electricity (including associated losses) went out of Nebraska than came into Nebraska.

Net Metering: The process of measuring the flow of electricity that is supplied by an electric utility and the flow of electricity that is generated by a customer's generator. A qualified power generation unit is installed with separate meters capable of reading the flow of electricity in each direction.

Net Summer Capacity: The steady hourly output which generating equipment is expected to supply to system load (exclusive of auxiliary) power as demonstrated by tests at the time of summer peak demand.

Net Winter Capacity: The steady hourly output which generating equipment is expected to supply to system load (exclusive of auxiliary) power as demonstrated by tests at the time of winter peak demand.

Neutron: An uncharged particle found in the nucleus of every atom except that of hydrogen.

Newton: A unit of force. The amount of force it takes to accelerate one kilogram at one meter per second per second.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): Oxides of nitrogen that are a chief component of air pollution that can be produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

Nominal Dollars: Amounts that have not been adjusted to remove the effect of changes in the purchasing power of the dollar. A measure used to express nominal price.

Nominal Price: The price paid for a product or service at the time of the transaction. The nominal price has not been adjusted to remove the effect of changes in the purchasing power of the dollar; the price reflects buying power in the year in which the transaction occurred.

Non–Utility Generator (NUG): A generation facility owned and operated by an entity who is not defined as a utility in that jurisdictional area.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR): A designation used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for some of its dockets.

Nuclear Electric Power (Nuclear Power): Electricity generated by an electric power plant with turbines that are driven by steam produced in a reactor by heat produced from the fission of nuclear fuel.

Nuclear Fuel: Fissionable materials that have been enriched to such a composition that, when placed in a nuclear reactor, will support a self–sustaining fission chain reaction, producing heat in a controlled manner for process use.

Nuclear Steam–Electric Power Plant: A facility in which heat produced in a reactor by the fissioning of nuclear fuel is used to drive a steam turbine.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC): An independent federal agency that ensures that strict standards of public health and safety, environmental quality and national security are adhered to by individuals and organizations possessing and using radioactive materials. The NRC is the agency that is mandated with licensing and regulating nuclear power plants in the United States. It was formally established in 1975 after its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, was abolished.