For the second Friday in a row, most points avoided the pricejinx associated with lower weekend demand. Flat to slightly higherwas the general rule, although a few points rose by as much as 8cents. Most of the weaker spots were concentrated in Northeastcitygates and the Rockies, with Iroquois Zone 2 deliveries fallingby almost 15 cents. Prices were down overall, but experiencing alate bounce due to screen strength, a Northeast trader said.

A snowstorm moving eastward from the Upper Plains into Minnesotaundoubtedly was why Northern Natural’s demarc and Ventura pointsracked up some of the day’s biggest increases at 7-8 cents.

California numbers were barely on either side of flat despitehourly peaking electricity prices in the state spiking to as muchas $600-700/MWh Thursday and Friday. Reportedly, brush fires nearthe Round Mountain and Table Mountain transmission lines inNorthern California reduced Pacific Intertie capacity to 2,200 MW.With one of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear units down andcongestion on the Intertie, there were problems getting electricitynorth, said a California gas marketer. However, an electricitytrader for the West Coast said day-ahead power prices were fairlynormal for the weekend.

Several Rockies pipes registered small losses even though a fireand explosion at the Opal Plant (see Transportation Notes) had cutits processing capacity by about a third and prompted a forcemajeure. However, plant operator Williams Field Services did notexpect much impact on gas gathered behind the plant or on tailgatedeliveries.

An Appalachian trader noted that the gap between CNG and TCO,which had reached 20 cents at times in September, was down to onlyabout 2 cents Friday because restrictions had been lifted at CNGinterconnects.

Trading was notably quiet according to several sources. One saidit was because a lot of people had traded four days worth of swinggas at the end of bidweek Thursday, so both liquidity and activitywere light Friday.

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