In an 11th-hour move yesterday, California regulators delayeduntil August a proposed interim action that would expand naturalgas unbundling and set an aggressive schedule for a final gasrestructuring decision by year end. The proposal, which includesunbundling billing and eliminating any restrictions on current gasaggregation among residential and small business customers, will beconsidered when the California PUC meets again Aug. 6.

A Pacific Gas and Electric official who helps run the coreaggregation program said he was not sure why the action wasdelayed, but he did note that the utilities have some concernsabout the proposal to unbundle billing before a final decision ongas restructuring is made.

PG&E has experienced substantial growth in its aggregationprogram since its Gas Accord went into effect earlier this year.The number of marketers has jumped from 5 to 16 since 1996, and thevolumes of gas have grown by about 5% to 10% on an annual basis.Taking all limitations off the aggregation program should make iteasier and less costly for new marketers to enter the program and”experiment with different approaches to the market,” saidPG&E’s Jerry Miller, director of the aggregation program.

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