Following the completion of commissioning demonstration tests, Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC and Sabine Pass LNG LP asked FERC for authorization to place into service the liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal’s Train 1 facilities. More than a half-dozen commissioning cargoes have left the first train of the Cheniere Energy Louisiana terminal to date (see Daily GPI, April 29). Last Friday the Cheniere companies asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow certain Train 1 facilities to enter commercial service by Tuesday (May 3). “Pending approval from FERC, Sabine could begin commercial operations at Train 1,” Genscape Inc. said in a note. The facility’s first train has contracts to supply Royal Dutch Shell/BG Group, Kansai Electric Power Co., and Chubu Electric Power Co., Genscape said.

Southern Companyand AGL Resources have received approval of their proposed merger from the Maryland Public Service Commission. All intervening parties support a previously announced settlement agreement. Among other things, AGL is the parent company of Elkton Gas, a regulated utility serving Elkton, MD. When completed, the combination is expected to create the second-largest utility company in the United States by customer base (see Daily GPI, Aug. 24, 2015). The companies expect to complete the transaction in the second half of 2016.

Energy Transfer Equity(ETE) in a regulatory filing rejected two proposed solutions to tax issues that allegedly hinder its merger with The Williams Companies Inc. Williams proposed the solutions in a filing after ETE said the proposed merger was at risk of losing a favorable tax ruling (see Daily GPI, April 21). ETE, however, said it is not obligated to restructure the deal to accommodate Williams. ETE, which has shown buyer’s remorse since not long after the deal’s announcement, has significantly cut its estimate of the value of synergies to be achieved by a combination. Williams, however, has continued to push for the deal (see Daily GPI, April 15; April 6).