Acknowledging

Acknowledging there was no way for the Texas Railroad Commissionto change high natural gas prices, the three-man board instead hasunanimously recommended that the Texas Legislature act to lessenthe impact of high prices by, among other things, offering industrytax breaks to encourage exploration and production. TRC alsorecommended it be given oversight over statewide customer servicestandards for public gas utility companies.

While acknowledging behind the scenes that immediate help from Washington was unlikely, the California Power Exchange (Cal-PX) last week prepared to put in a bid for a temporary $350 a MWh price cap as the state suffered through another week of short power and high prices.

While acknowledging behind the scenes that immediate help fromWashington was unlikely, the California Power Exchange (Cal-PX)last week prepared to put in a bid for a temporary $350 a MWh pricecap as the state suffered through another week of short power andhigh prices.

Acknowledging its significant improvement in company performanceand shareholder value in the past year, Equitable Resourcespromoted Murry S. Gerber to chairman of the board of directors lastweek. Gerber has served as president and CEO since joiningEquitable in 1998.

Acknowledging its significant improvement in company performanceand shareholder value in the past year, Equitable Resources haspromoted Murry S. Gerber to chairman of the board of directors.Gerber has served as president and CEO since joining Equitable in1998.

Acknowledging that a combination of unexpected generator outagesand sustained hot weather could create the threat of power outagesthis summer, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO)launched a new alert system for gaining enough voluntaryconservation by businesses and mass consumers to ride out thepeak-demand periods. Calling it “Power Watch 2000,” Cal-ISOPresident/CEO Terry Winter said he anticipates that both short- andlong-term the state can use market-based programs to addresspotential shortfalls.

Acknowledging that a combination of unexpected generator outagesand sustained hot weather could create the threat of power outagesthis summer, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO)launched a new alert system for gaining enough voluntaryconservation by businesses and mass consumers to ride out thepeak-demand periods. Calling it “Power Watch 2000,” Cal-ISOPresident/CEO Terry Winter said he anticipates that both short- andlong-term the state can use market-based programs to addresspotential shortfalls.

Another day, another dime (or so) down for cash prices.Acknowledging it was a colossal understatement, a marketercommented, “It seems like the buying frenzy is over.” Although airconditioning was still generating its fair share of demandWednesday, it wasn’t nearly enough to prevent more slides on eitherside of a dime at nearly all price points.