Puget Sound Energy of Bellevue, WA, and Duke Energy Trading andMarketing (DETM) agreed to coordinate marketing and tradingactivities in 14 western states and British Columbia.

“This evolution of our existing relationship with Duke is acritical step that aligns Puget Sound Energy’s power resourceoperations, trading and marketing activities with those of one ofthe nation’s largest marketers of energy, and with the strategicdirection of the industry,” said William A. Gaines, vice presidentof energy supply for Puget Sound Energy. For now, the marketingpartnership will be limited to power, but natural gas may be addedin the future, a Puget spokeswoman said.

Through the expanded relationship with DETM, Puget Sound Energynow participates in a trading business that will be many times thesize of its current trading operations. Puget Sound Energy sold 28million MWh of power in 1997, and its revenues from off-systempower sales and trading doubled from 1996 to more than $134million.

The enhanced relationship with Puget strengthens Duke EnergyTrading and Marketing’s power marketing and trading business in theWestern Systems Coordinating Council, said Brad Karp, DETMexecutive vice president of commercial operations. “Puget’spower-asset position in energy trading and its expertise in thisregion will bolster our operations. The new capabilities created bythis expanded relationship effectively integrates with the powerplants Duke Energy is purchasing from Pacific Gas & Electric.”

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