Approval

PG&E National Energy Group, an affiliate of PG&E Corp.,last week formally filed an application at FERC seeking the greenlight to build the U.S. leg of a 215-mile natural gas pipeline thatwould extend from the Arizona-California border through northernBaja in Mexico.

After the approval of the fifth and final utility’s electric choiceplan early last month, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)vowed that the next crucial step would be marketer certification. Thatstep was taken last week as FirstEnergy Services, a subsidiary ofFirstEnergy, became one of the first to gain certification to offercustomers electricity in Ohio (see Daily GPI, Oct. 2).

In response to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ rulingthis week on rate increases for three utilities in the state,Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G) releasedsuggestions for how its $1.6 million natural gas customers canconserve energy and manage bills.

FERC moved its electric power transmission policy into newterritory last week with the approval of DTE Energy’s spin-offtransmission system, International Transmission Co. (ITC), as anindependent transco with rates similar to those of a regionaltransmission organization (RTO). (ER00-3295)

The $6 billion NiSource-Columbia merger is on its way down the homestretch, with only the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approvalleft in its path on the way to its predicted end of the yearcompletion date (see Daily GPI, July27). To ensure that the combined company moves through thetransition process smoothly, NiSource announced more post-mergerleadership positions for its lengthy list of business units.

The Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland (PJM) Independent System Operator (ISO) has received approval for transmission facilities to interconnect more than 40 new power generating stations to the grid. In a meeting last week, PJM’s board of managers approved the remaining elements of what is the first coordinated regional transmission expansion under the PJM ISO structure.

The Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland (PJM) IndependentSystem Operator (ISO) has received approval for transmissionfacilities to interconnect over 40 new power generating sources tothe grid. In a meeting Aug. 1, the board of managers of PJMInterconnection approved the remaining elements of what is to bethe first coordinated regional transmission expansion under the PJMISO structure.

Sonat said Wednesday it had gotten regulatory approval for a planto repair the July 5 rupture in its 14-inch Romere Pass Line offshoresoutheastern Louisiana (see Daily GPI, July24). Barring unforeseen problems, the pipeline hopes to begin thework today.

After both projects received preliminary approval from FERC over a month ago, the ongoing race to Florida accross the Gulf of Mexico between Coastal Corp.’s Gulfstream Natural Gas System and Williams and Duke Energy’s Buccaneer pipeline is heating up again (see NGI, May 1). Gulfstream yesterday announced it signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Manatee County Port Authority for a permanent right-of-way easement to cross through Port Manatee