Bills

Natural gas customers in Indiana may be seeing a 5% reduction intheir heating bills this winter, courtesy of a proposed taxexemption by Gov. Frank O’Bannon. O’Bannon said last week that hemay suspend the state sales tax similar to a ban he enacted ongasoline sales in June.

Billing system changes topped the list of the most costly backroom operations function for utilities and suppliers preparing forcompetitive energy markets, according to a study by XENERGY Inc.Utilities report spending from $1.22 to $22 per customer, with oneutility reportedly spending up to $82 million, to make billingsystem changes to accommodate retail access.

Key pieces of comprehensive legislation aimed at restructuringthe electric industry could very well come out of both the Houseand the Senate before lawmakers leave for recess in early August,Capitol Hill observers say.

Key pieces of comprehensive legislation aimed at restructuringthe electric industry could very well come out of both the Houseand the Senate before lawmakers leave for recess in early August,Capitol Hill observers say.

Recent declines in natural gas bills would have been evengreater if it hadn’t been for one-time LDC restructuring charges,according to a Gas Research Institute study. Still LDCs have cutnon-gas costs substantially.

Large commercial and industrial customers in Southern Californiashould experience further rate relief on their natural gas billsnext year, but the declines will be modest, according to aCalifornia Public Utilities Commission staff manager in charge oftwo pending rate cases for Southern California Gas Co., whichcontinues to keep a wary eye on new proposed interstate pipelinesthat would like to hook up directly to some of its largestcustomers.

Large commercial and industrial customers in Southern Californiashould experience further rate relief on their natural gas billsnext year, but the declines will be modest, according to aCalifornia Public Utilities Commission staff manager following twopending rate cases for Southern California Gas Co., which continuesto keep a wary eye on new proposed interstate pipelines that wouldlike to hook up directly to some of its largest customers.

Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee onEnergy and Natural Resources, consolidated several recentlegislative measures and a few new ones into two separate pieces oflegislation last week that could have a wide ranging impact on theexploration and production sector.

Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Committee onEnergy and Natural Resources, consolidated several recentlegislative measures and a few new ones into two separate pieces oflegislation last week that could have a wide ranging impact on theexploration and production sector.