Believes

Looking to find a technology that could become the successor to natural gas-fired power generation, a blue-chip faction of Albertans believes that lasers and fusion power might be the answer. Edmonton’s mothballed Rossdale powerhouse could be turned into a home for pioneers of a future generation of electricity technology under a plan developing in senior academic, industry and government circles.

Sempra Energy believes gas supplies from a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the West Coast will “definitely” have an impact on Western gas prices, but how much may be offset by other developing factors, Sempra CFO Mark Snell told a session at the Lehman Brothers CEO Energy/Power Conference Thursday in New York City.

With the public outcry over rising power costs, Dominion Virginia Power believes the time is right for it to seek major changes to the regulatory structure of the power business in Virginia.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has set a new aggressive energy savings goal of cutting the state’s fossil fuel use by 15% by 2015. Pawlenty believes the goal is achievable through energy efficiency and renewable resources, and he also raised the bar for renewables to 25% by 2025 from a previous goal of 10% by 2015.

The gas storage surplus had a bite taken out of it last week, and consultant Stephen Smith believes the market should expect to see net withdrawals going forward because of the early cold weather.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has called for an internal Interior Department investigation into a recently obtained e-mail from a Utah lobbyist that he believes suggests that agency officials may have conspired behind closed doors to “fix” new land-use plans to assure more oil and natural gas development on wilderness-quality lands in the state.

Indicating it believes competitive Western natural gas market opportunities require swift and unequivocal political and regulatory action, Sempra Energy late last month dropped out of a proposal for an all-Alaska pipeline-liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for bringing North Slope supplies to the lower 48 states.

Indicating that it believes competitive Western natural gas market opportunities require swift and unequivocal political and regulatory action, Sempra Energy late last month dropped out of a proposal for an all-Alaska gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for bringing North Slope supplies to the Lower 48 states.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan last Tuesday said he believes the wave of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports destined for the United States will dampen gas prices, “possibly significantly,” in the years ahead.