FERC Chairman James J. Hoecker held a three-way teleconferenceThursday with officials from three trade associations representingpipelines, major producers and independent producers to discussspiraling natural gas prices.

He voiced concerns about “potential price manipulation” in thegas market, and he wanted to know whether companies were “engagingin unnecessary profits,” a source, who participated in theconference call, told NGI.

The Commission reportedly plans to do either a study or reporton “who’s making the money during the California crisis” in boththe gas and electricity markets, he said.

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