Affect

The trial date for one of five former natural gas traders who were indicted in late November on charges of reporting false trades has been pushed back to August from February, according to a published report. The trials of four other ex-traders also may be rescheduled.

Lawmakers meeting last Thursday to craft a comprehensive energy bill reached a compromise related to pipeline integrity inspections under which facilities with the highest risk factors will be given priority for completing inspections within a five-year period.

Decisions that could affect the continued supply of power toCalifornia consumers and the price of that power could be renderedthis week in separate cases in federal courts in Los Angeles andSacramento.

Conectiv, a Mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility, announcedsweeping changes in its strategic focus earlier this week, but didnot alter its plan for gas operations. Conectiv said the changeswere made due to a clearing regulatory picture in the areas itserves.

Depressed gas liquids prices don’t affect the need foradditional liquids transportation capacity in the Gulf of Mexicoregion in the view of two companies that last week joined to expandLouisiana pipeline facilities.