America

Industry Briefs

The Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP) executive committeeapproved the execution of the memorandum of understanding with theMid-America Interconnected Network (MAIN) to merge the reliabilityfunctions of the two organizations. The MAIN Board of Directorsapproved the memorandum on April 7. The goal is to have a jointregional reliability organization (RRO) in place by November. Theorganization will ensure standards compliance through auditing,planning and operating reserve requirements and will establishsanctions procedures to enforce compliance with reliabilitystandards. MAPP is an association of more than 90 electricutilities and other electric industry participants. MAIN is one of10 other regional reliability councils under the North AmericanElectric Reliability Council.

April 17, 2000

IPAA Suing Interior Over Oil Royalty Rule

The Independent Petroleum Association of America is suing theU.S. Department of the Interior to challenge its new oil royaltyvaluation regulation. The regulation creates new methods of valuingroyalties on oil from federal leases and takes effect June 1.

April 12, 2000

Storage Operators are Eager to Meet Demand Growth

Storage operators aren’t being left behind as the industryprepares for rapid gas demand growth. NGI’s new survey and map ofNorth America’s gas storage operations shows new storage fields andexpansions cropping up all over the continent, and according to anew study by the Gas Research Institute, this is only the beginningof what will be needed as gas demand grows beyond 30 Tcf/year.

March 27, 2000

Kinder Fully Subscribes NGPL Storage Capacity

The previously underutilized pipeline and storage assets ofNatural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) have enjoyed robustvolume growth under the management of the merged KN Energy andKinder Morgan. Last week, Kinder Morgan’s NGPL said it has fullysubscribed its storage service with the latest of a number ofdeals.

March 27, 2000

Kinder Fully Subscribes NGPL Storage

Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL)has fully subscribed its storage service with the latest of anumber of deals.

March 24, 2000

Duke Building 3 Plants, Selling 1

Duke Energy North America (DENA) announced the start ofconstruction of three new merchant generation projects totaling1,500 MW. At full capacity, each plant will burn about 3,300MMBtu/hour. In a fourth deal, DENA announced the sale of itsremaining 78.5% interest in the 500 MW Hidalgo Energy Facility toan affiliate of Calpine Corp. for $235 million.

March 13, 2000

IPAA Elects Russell As New President

The Independent Petroleum Association of America elected BarryRussell as its new president last week, replacing Gil Thurm. Thechange was immediately effective.

March 13, 2000

IPAA Elects New President

The Independent Petroleum Association of America elected BarryRussell as its new president yesterday, replacing Gil Thurm. Thechange was immediately effective.

March 8, 2000

Duke Building Three Plants, Selling One

Duke Energy North America (DENA) announced the start ofconstruction of three new merchant generation projects totaling1,500 MW. At full capacity, each plant will burn about 3,300MMBtu/hour. In a fourth deal, DENA announced the sale of itsremaining 78.5% interest in the 500 MW Hidalgo Energy Facility toan affiliate of Calpine Corp. for $235 million.

March 8, 2000

El Paso Sells California Capacity to Affiliate

Foiled in its bid to sell 1.25 Bcf/d of capacity to Enron NorthAmerica, El Paso Natural Gas announced late yesterday the capacityhad been won in a rebid by affiliate, El Paso Merchant Energy-GasL.P. for $38.5 million.

February 16, 2000