Central

American Electric Power (AEP) and Central and South West Corp.(CSW) moved one step closer to becoming the largest electricutility last week when FERC approved the $6 billion marriage of thetwo electric powerhouses. It imposed some conditions on the mergerdeal, but the companies said they weren’t anything they couldn’tlive with.

Williams Gas Pipeline-Central received a certificate from theFederal Energy Regulatory Commission to provide up to 55,000 Dth/dof additional firm gas transportation service to the EmpireDistrict Electric Company State Line Plant in Jasper County, MO.Williams plans to uprate its Blackwell-Cotton Valley pipeline inWashington County, OK, from 500 psi of maximum allowable pressureto 690 psi. It also will lay 37 miles of 20-inch pipe in Labetteand Cherokee Counties, KS, to extend to its Southern Trunk loopline. And it will add measurement facilities at the Empire Plant.Empire is installing an additional gas turbine, two heat recoverygenerators and a steam turbine generator to create a 500-plus MWcombined-cycle plant. Williams currently provides up to 28,800Dth/d of gas to the plant.

The pending merger of American Electric Power (AEP) of Columbus,OH, and Central and South West Corp. of Dallas, TX, receivedantitrust clearance from the Department of Justice. Approvals thatremain include the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Securities andExchange Commission (SEC). Upon completion of the merger, the newcompany will be called American Electric Power.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. recently filed with FERC to expandits 300-Line, bringing Central New York Oil & Gas’ Stagecoachstorage project closer to completion. The El Paso-owned subsidiaryasked the commission to rule on the $86.5 million expansionproposal by Dec. 31, 2000 so that the facilities can be operationalin line with the proposed storage project’s in-service date of Aug.1, 2001.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. filed with FERC to expand its300-Line last week, bringing Central New York Oil & Gas’Stagecoach storage project closer to completion. The El Paso-ownedsubsidiary asked the commission to rule on the $86.5 millionexpansion proposal by Dec. 31, 2000 so that the facilities can beoperational in line with the proposed storage project’s in-servicedate of Aug. 1, 2001.

The heat of July and Cinergy’s sweaty response to it mean EastCentral Area Reliability Coordination Agreement (ECAR) rules areabout to change to strongly discourage the unauthorized drawing ofpower from the system.

The heat of July and Cinergy’s sweaty response to it mean EastCentral Area Reliability Coordination Agreement (ECAR) rules areabout to change to strongly discourage the unauthorized drawing ofpower from the system.

Due to extremely high storage inventory levels and continuedweather predictions at or above normal temperatures, Williams GasPipeline Central has been experiencing daily storage injectionsthat are substantially above contractual limits, especially onweekends, the pipeline said. Shippers under TSS and FSS rateschedules are required to adhere to their maximum daily injectionquantity and their defined contractual maximum storage quantities.Due to warmer-than-normal weather forecasts, shippers and pointoperators will need to decrease corresponding supplies to matchdeliveries. During this time, the pipeline will not acceptimbalance payback or banking of gas. If corrective action is nottake, an operational flow order may be necessary effective gas daySaturday.

CMP Natural Gas, a joint venture between Energy East Corp.(formerly NYSEG) and Central Maine Power Group, started servingcustomers in Windham, ME, last week, giving CMP Natural a bigadvantage over Bangor Gas, the other company vying to distributegas in the state.