Northwest Natural has called on FERC to act swiftly on itsapplication so it can begin offering storage and transportationrelated services to the interstate market for the first time, amove that could help to relieve some of the constraints in thewestern natural gas and electricity markets.

“Northwest Natural would like to make these resources availableto the market, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. We hadcertainly hoped that we could make these services availablebeginning this winter, but the lack of Commission action [thus far]has prevented us from moving forward,” wrote Chairman and CEORichard G. Reiten in a letter to FERC Chairman James J. Hoeckerlast week.

“We recognize that, with the turmoil in the electricity markets,the last nine months have been a very difficult and busy period foryour staff. The situation in the West is serious….. We believeour application is a small piece of the solution and that it isready for Commission consideration,” he said.

Upon FERC approval, the company would be able to make 50 MMcf/dof gas immediately available for the interstate market, saidNorthwest Natural spokesman Steve Sechrist. The gas would come fromthe LDC’s storage field near Mist, OR. Northwest Natural is in themidst of building a 24-inch diameter, 59-mile pipeline from theMist field to the company’s gate station in Molalla, which connectsto Williams Pipeline’s interstate gas system.

Northwest Natural is seeking to offer both firm andinterruptible storage services at market-based rates, according toReiten.

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