Announcing

Reliant Energy improved its West Coast portfolio last week byannouncing a six-year agreement with the Springfield, IL municipalutility City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) to market its total 600MW generation. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Despite announcing one-year commodity sales agreements withOutback Steakhouse and the Hair Cuttery in Northern Virginia thisweek, Constellation Energy Source said retail commodity sales arelosing their allure. The company, a nonregulated subsidiary ofBaltimore Gas & Electric, has closed several small retailmarketing offices and eliminated six retail commodity salespositions to make room for more engineers and energy servicesexperts.

PG&E Energy Services kicked off the new year with a bangyesterday by announcing it inked a major deal with Equity OfficeProperties Trust, the largest publicly held owner and manager ofoffice properties in the nation, to supply electricity to itsoffice buildings in northern California.

Avista Energy, a Washington Water Power (WWP) affiliate,continued its expansion onslaught Thursday by announcing that itacquired Vitol Gas and Electric LLC, a full service energy marketerserving the eastern U.S. Terms of the agreement were not madepublic. The deal is expected to close in early 1999.

The Coastal Corp benefited from its mix of producer and pipelineoperations, announcing a 17% jump from 3Q 1997 on a per-sharebasis. Coastal earned $89.5 million, or 41 cents/share, compared to$80.4 million, or 35 cents/share in 3Q 1997. Along with earnings,the company reiterated its commitment to the North American gassector, calling it the best energy investment opportunity anywhere.

Union Pacific Resources Group (UPR) continues to march aheadwith its de-leveraging program, announcing last week that it agreedto sell interests in certain South Texas oil and gas properties toCollins &amp Ware Inc. for $148 million. The sale is scheduled toclose Oct. 30, subject to conditions, with an effective date ofSept. 1.

Williams took a bigger jump into the energy marketing businessyesterday by announcing it has acquired full ownership ofEnergyVision by purchasing the 50% interest in the company that washeld by BEC Energy. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.