Alarmed

Increasing delays in the development of liquefaction facilities at the source of various global liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers are nothing to get alarmed about, and discussions of additional import supplies into the United States are continuing to take place, according to Sempra Energy CEO Donald Felsinger, speaking to analysts on a quarterly earnings conference call last Friday. Given the size and complexity of the deals, the delays are “normal and expected,” he said.

An industrial consumer group said Monday that it was “alarmed and dismayed” to learn that the Bush administration’s fiscal year 2006 budget plan calls for cuts in funding for programs overseeing minerals management leasing and permitting.

Representing utilities that serve as many as 64 million natural gas customers in the United States, the American Gas Association (AGA) last week said it fully supports “continued and vigorous” oversight of gas markets by federal regulators. However, it believes that senators, who are pressing for investigations of the gas market, should do their part by passing the omnibus energy bill (HR 6) in this session of Congress.

Representing utilities that serve as many as 64 million natural gas customers in the United States, the American Gas Association (AGA) said it fully supports “continued and vigorous” oversight of gas markets by federal regulators. But it believes that senators, who have pressed for the investigations of the gas market, should do their part by passing the omnibus energy bill (HR 6) in the second session of the 108th Congress.

Alarmed by the U.S. appetite for foreign oil, key SenateRepublicans last week introduced a broad-based legislative packagethat would open up areas that have been closed to drilling in thepast, as well as offer tax measures and other incentives tostimulate the production of crude oil, natural gas and alternativeenergy in the Lower 48 states and Alaska.

Dynegy Inc. told FERC last week it’s becoming alarmed at thegrowing number of varying Y2K contingency plans being filed bypipelines. The Commission should agree to allow one set ofprocedures for the entire industry, Dynegy suggested. Otherwisethere could be a state of panic on New Year’s eve when shippershave to deal with multiple sets of Y2K emergency nominationprocedures.

Dynegy Inc. told FERC this week it’s becoming alarmed at thegrowing number of varying Y2K contingency plans being filed bypipelines. The Commission should agree to allow one set ofprocedures for the entire industry, Dynegy suggested. Otherwisethere could be a state of panic on New Year’s eve when shippershave to deal with multiple sets of Y2K emergency nominationprocedures.

Atlanta Gas Light’s plea for limited waivers of FERC’scapacity-release regulations and other rules has drawn a howl ofprotests from producers. The Georgia-based LDC is seeking thewaivers to “facilitate” its application to unbundle itsdistribution services, which currently is pending before thestate’s Public Service Commission.