Adequacy

North Dakota’s oil/natural gas boom continues to be a mixed blessing for state energy planners, and future pipeline infrastructure’s adequacy is one of many questions state officials hope to have some answers for by mid-year. A study is under way by the state Pipeline Authority to determine if existing infrastructure will be adequate.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano Monday told a Senate committee that she wanted to “reserve judgment on the adequacy” of BP plc’s response efforts to the massive crude oil response in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

The marine fisheries division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has raised serious questions about the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) being developed by FERC on NorthernStar Natural Gas’s proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal.

As questions regarding domestic supply adequacy continue to swirl around the marketplace, new questions about a lack of manpower in the sector are beginning to be asked. Called upon by Congress to help lead the way in addressing the issue, North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven said a lack of manpower within the oil and gas industry is jeopardizing the country’s energy security.

Maintaining transmission adequacy at year 2000 levels would require a quadrupling of transmission investments during this decade, but the price tag for building these new facilities — including the cost of replacing retired capacity — is about $56 billion, according to a recent study commissioned by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). This transmission investment cost is roughly half of the investment likely to be made in new generating units during the same time.

Maintaining transmission adequacy at year 2000 levels would require a quadrupling of transmission investments during this decade, but the price tag for building these new facilities — including the cost of replacing retired capacity — is about $56 billion, according to a recent study done for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). This transmission investment cost is roughly half of the investment likely to be made in new generating units during the same time.

Divisions emerged last Wednesday at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over whether tools used by the Commission in analyzing market power issues are antiquated and in need of an overhaul or are sufficient. Commissioner William Massey believes FERC should initiate a generic inquiry into improving those standards, while Chairman Curt Hebert and Commissioner Linda Breathitt see the regulatory agency’s current approach as more than adequate to meet market power issues.

Divisions emerged yesterday at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over whether tools used by the Commission in analyzing market power issues are antiquated and in need of an overhaul or are sufficient. Commissioner William Massey believes FERC should initiate a generic inquiry into improving those standards, while Chairman Curt Hebert and Commissioner Linda Breathitt see the regulatory agency’s current approach as more than adequate to meet market power issues.

The Iowa Utilities Board has begun an emergency investigation tostudy the adequacy of payment options available to natural gascustomers following the record-high energy bills this winter. Theboard is holding a workshop today in Des Moines, and has invitedall regulated natural gas utilities serving the state toparticipate.