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After suffering through the World Trade Center tragedy, electronic energy marketplace TradeSpark LP managed a significant rebound, producing transaction, volume and revenue growth. The trading system, which was formed by eSpeed, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald and five of the largest U.S. energy producers/distributors, traded more than $40.2 billion (notional value) in energy products in the fourth quarter and more than $150 billion since its inception in October 2000, the company said on Tuesday.

On a day in which market power issues took center stage at FERC headquarters, the Commission last Tuesday proposed revising all existing market-based rate tariffs and authorizations in order to prohibit anti-competitive behavior or the exercise of market power. In addition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission also instituted a proceeding to establish a refund effective date should it find that electric power rates are unjust and unreasonable.

The Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM) in Washington has branched out with a new affiliate, CAEM Canada, which has as its first major policy initiative, the Canadian Energy Restructuring Forum.

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks on Washington, DC, New York City and an airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania, issues related to the security of the nation’s energy infrastructure came to the fore at a hearing last Thursday on Capitol Hill. Several members of Congress made it clear that they stand ready to craft legislation designed to meet possible threats to the transmission grid, pipelines and other key sectors of the energy industry.

In the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks on Washington, DC, New York City and an airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania, issues related to the security of the nation’s energy infrastructure came to the fore at a hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill. Several members of Congress made it clear that they stand ready to craft legislation designed to meet possible threats to the transmission grid, pipelines and other key sectors of the energy industry.

“It’s the natural gas, stupid!” That is a refrain–spoken or implied–that ran throughout California’s ongoing electricity debates in both the legislature and among regulators as state officials scrambled last week to pave the way for bringing stability back to the state electricity industry.

“It’s the natural gas, stupid!” That is a refrain–spoken or implied–that ran throughout California’s ongoing electricity debates in both the legislature and among regulators as state officials scrambled Thursday to pave the way for bringing stability back to the state electricity industry.

FERC’s widely-anticipated move last week to extend price controls on bulk electricity transactions to the entire Western region around the clock blew through Washington with hurricane force, shifting the political winds away from price caps in the Senate. However, just as the volatile issue of price caps began to subside somewhat on Capitol Hill, a new debate emerged in Congress over whether the agency should be more aggressive in ordering generators to provide refunds for overcharges that California Gov. Gray Davis said run into the billions of dollars.

Capping off a week in which California took center stage, the state-wide independent system operator (Cal-ISO), Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) Friday filed — under protest — their plan to form a single-state regional transmission organization (RTO).