Agencies

The staffs of FERC and a number of cooperating agencies Friday gave the final environmental go-ahead for Transwestern Pipeline’s proposed expansion to provide natural gas to the fast-growing Phoenix, AZ, area.

FERC and several other federal agencies Friday issued a favorable initial environmental review of Bradwood Landing LLC’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Pacific Northwest and NorthernStar Energy LLC’s associated pipeline project.

Delmarva Power & Light (DP&L) last Wednesday filed a notice of appeal of a decision of the Delaware Public Service Commission (PSC) and other state agencies which directed DP&L to negotiate a wind power purchase agreement with BlueWater Wind, and to negotiate backup agreements with NRG and Conectiv Energy for gas-fired generation in Sussex County, DE.

FERC and two other agencies Friday issued a favorable final environmental review of North Baja Pipeline LLC’s proposed expansion of the U.S. leg of a U.S.-Mexico pipeline that would deliver up to 2.75 Bcf/d of natural gas from planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities on the Baja California coast to customers in California and Arizona.

FERC and two other agencies Friday issued a favorable final environmental review of North Baja Pipeline LLC’s proposed expansion of the U.S. leg of a U.S.-Mexico pipeline that would deliver up to 2.75 Bcf/d of natural gas from planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities on the Baja California coast to customers in California and Arizona.

Is BHP Billiton, the global Australian mining and energy giant, down to its last strike in California after two state agencies turned an emphatic thumbs down on the company’s proposed $800 million, 800 MMcf/d offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal? That’s the salient question hovering over the Southern California coast as BHP’s permitting and appeals processes play out.

Following Friday’s filings to FERC and other federal agencies related to its pending $9.4 billion PacifiCorp sale, ScottishPower announced Tuesday that its shareholders overwhelmingly endorsed the sale of its utility holdings in the United States, with more than 99% of the shares approving the deal at an extraordinary general shareholders’ meeting following the annual general meeting last Friday in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Virginia Department of General Services has issued a request for proposals for full service supplies of natural gas and heating oil for 90 state agencies, for two years starting Sept. 1. The request is for a minimum of 4,500,000 Dth/year of natural gas and 8,500,000 gallons/year of mostly No.2 home heating oil.

Arizona officials have now joined California environmental agencies in expressing concerns about Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s natural gas processing facility at the California-Arizona border that has released toxic chromium 6 into underground water that is migrating toward the Colorado River, a major source of drinking water in both states. Arizona environmental officials wrote to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control last week.