Branch

The British Columbia branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is investigating an Oct. 11 explosion on an EnCana natural gas pipeline 50 kilometers east of Dawson Creek near the British Columbia border with Alberta. Sabotage is suspected, the authorities said.

Despite his efforts to extend an olive branch, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Tuesday that Republicans rebuffed his offer to allow votes on four GOP-backed amendments to the anti-energy speculation bill, including a proposal to expand oil and natural gas drilling in the federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

During the installation of a pig receiver at the end of the 12-inch diameter Chattanooga Branch Line in Hamilton County, TN, Southern Natural Gas identified the need to remove a malfunctioning pipeline valve. Southern said it plans to begin the valve removal process, which is expected to take up to 24 hours, on Friday morning. Declaring it a force majeure event, Southern said it was not accepting any nominations at the Chattanooga Meter Station for Friday’s gas day, but did anticipate accepting nominations there on the Timely and Evening cycles for Saturday.

Southern Natural Gas said Saturday it had completed maintenance begun a day earlier on a section of the 14-inch diameter Chattanooga Branch Line in northern Georgia and returned the line to service.

The National Governors Association (NGA) hit the nation’s capital the last weekend in February with a decidedly green tint to their proceedings, and the western governors’ branch of the national association announced a new push for alternative energy development and more fuel efficiency. NGA’s winter meeting kicked off with its chairman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, emphasizing an initiative he calls Securing a Clean Energy Future (SCEF).

The National Governors Association (NGA) hit the nation’s capital over the weekend with a decidedly green tint to their proceedings, and the western governors’ branch of the national association announced a new push for alternative energy development and more fuel efficiency. NGA’s winter meeting kicked off with its chairman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, emphasizing an initiative he calls Securing a Clean Energy Future (SCEF).

As the result of a year-long investigation of a five-year period dating back to 2000, the consumer protection branch of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) earlier this month issued a recommendation that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. be required to refund $117 million to its customers and pay a $6.75 million fine for mishandling the delayed and/or estimated billing of tens of thousands of residential and business customers. The staff concluded that the PG&E utility “collected monies from customers in violation of two CPUC rules.”

Southern Natural Gas said Thursday it had completed repairs of a leak on its 14-inch diameter Chattanooga Branch line (see Daily GPI, Feb. 1) and the line is back in service. Southern resumed accepting nominations for interruptible deliveries (“B-1” and “IT”) in the affected area effective with Thursday’s Intraday 1 scheduling cycle.

Southern Natural Gas reported experiencing an unscheduled outage on its 14-inch diameter Chattanooga Branch Line near the Alabama/Georgia border Monday. Personnel were isolating the line so that repairs can be made Wednesday. To prepare for the outage, Southern said Tuesday it was making system adjustments to support the current level of scheduled firm and no-notice service. See the bulletin board for details.