Maine and New Hampshire regulators have asked FERC to deferconsideration of a petition for declaratory order that would allowGranite State Gas Transmission to recover millions of dollars inpreliminary development costs for a controversial liquefied naturalgas (LNG) facility in Wells, ME, that’s not even likely to bebuilt.
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Oil, Gas Futures, Tighter Supplies Boost Market
“Where has all the gas gone now?” asked a Houston-based marketerTuesday as April numbers turned upward going into the home stretch ofbidweek. He was starting to encounter some tightness of supplies inthe Gulf Coast and Appalachian production areas that caused prices tobe bid higher. Echoing a producer’s Friday observation (see Daily GPI, March 29), the market suspectedthat reduced drilling budgets last year may be reflected now in afirmer gas market.
NYSEG Requests Conference On NUG Contracts
New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) has asked FERC and theNew York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to hold a jointtechnical conference on utility power purchase agreements withnonutility generators (NUGs) as soon as possible. Eight statelawmakers sent a letter to FERC Chairman James Hoecker on thematter last fall, but action was never taken, a NYSEG spokesmannoted.
National Fuel Seeks FERC Waiver for Unbundling
National Fuel Gas Distribution has asked FERC for a one-yearwaiver of the “shipper-must-have-title” policy in order toimplement retail gas unbundling on its entire system by April 1 ofthis year.
El Paso, Edison Dispute Decision on Turnback Accord
El Paso Natural Gas has asked FERC to overturn a July ALJinitial decision that found it failed to “seriously confront thepotential impact of…turned-back capacity on the remainingcustomers on its system and take adequate steps to remarket thecapacity” when it first learned that Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) planned to step down its capacity commitment effective January1996. If upheld by the Commission, El Paso would be required toshoulder the costs for half of the 300 MMcf/d of capacity that theLDC turned back.
Virginia Power Seeks Gas-Fired Relief from the Heat
Virginia Power asked the State Corporation Commission Tuesdayfor authority to build and operate five natural gas-firedcombustion turbines to generate power for the utility’s two millioncustomers during peak demand periods.
Richardson Accused of Lying at Confirmation Hearing
Senate Energy Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) onFriday asked President Clinton to delay swearing in Bill Richardsonto head the Department of Energy until the committee has had anopportunity to review allegations that he may have lied during hisconfirmation hearing about a job offer that was made to MonicaLewinsky.
NE Hub Opposes Stay of Storage Project
NE Hub Partners L.P. has asked FERC to deny a partial stayrequest of Penn Fuel Gas Inc. that, if granted, would prevent itfrom starting construction on a major underground storage projectin northern Pennsylvania.
New York Regulators Seek Rate Design Inquiry
The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) has asked FERC toinitiate a proposed rulemaking for the purpose of opening up aninquiry into the appropriate rate design for interstate natural gaspipelines.
Producers Seek Extension of Refund Deadline
A group of natural gas producers and marketers has asked FERC toextend until July 9th the deadline for producer payments of anestimated $500 million in customer refunds. The refunds, which aredue March 9th, are owed to customers who purchased gas produced inKansas during the 1980s at costs that, because they included thestate’s ad valorem tax, exceeded the level allowed under theNatural Gas Policy Act (NGPA).