Preparing for the potential inability of Peachtree Natural Gasto reliably supply gas, the Georgia Public Service Commission(GPSC) decided to issue an RFP yesterday for any marketer who wouldwant to be an interim pooler and accumulate some or all ofPeachtree’s 177,000 customers. The RFP is scheduled to concludetoday.

“We just need to be prepared for all circumstances,” said GPSCCommissioner Bobby Baker. “We need to know who would be willing totake on these customers.” So far, Baker said Scana was the onlymarketer that has notified the GPSC of its desire to be an interimpooler.

Georgia’s deregulation legislation allows for other marketingcompanies to be interim poolers and take on the customers of amarketer that is unable to reliably perform its service. WhileBaker said the RFP was necessary, he also said it was not adefinitive step against Peachtree.

“Hopefully, nothing happens. On Thursday, the bankruptcy courtwill reconvene, and hopefully Peachtree will be able to keepserving its customers.”

Last week, Peachtree filed for protection under Chapter 11bankruptcy laws, citing problems with unexpected costs and billing(see Daily GPI Oct 29). The next day, Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) fileda motion in the court to get permission to ask the GPSC to randomlyassign all 177,000 Peachtree customers to more “creditworthy”marketers. At a court hearing last Friday, AGL and Peachtree workedout a temporary solution that expires when the court reconvenestomorrow.

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