Chairman

FERC Chairman James Hoecker yesterday announced that theCommission will hold a conference on Feb. 25 to address therelationship between interstate pipeline competition and retailunbundling at the state level.

Williams Chairman Keith E. Bailey said Tuesday the company’sunaudited third quarter financials, which are expected to bereleased today, will include $70 million, or 10 cents per share, inpre-tax charges and write-downs.

FERC Chairman James Hoecker said this week he would prefer thatthe gas industry reserve any arguments opposing the Commission’sdaily auction proposal for written comments that are due Nov., 9th,and use the workshop to be held on Oct. 20th to focus on thedetails of how an auction could be put into practice.

Chairman James Hoecker last week announced that FERC plans tohold a workshop with the gas industry in mid-October to flesh outthe details involved in the auctioning of short-term capacity. Theworkshop will occur prior to the deadline for industry comments onthe notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that addresses regulationof short-term capacity, specifically the auctioning of thatcapacity. The comments are due in early November.

Chairman James Hoecker said this week FERC plans to hold onestaff workshop (possibly more) with the gas industry in mid-Octoberto flesh out the details involved in the auctioning of short-termcapacity. The workshop will occur prior to the deadline forindustry comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) thataddresses regulation of short-term capacity, specifically theauctioning of that capacity. The comments are due in earlyNovember.

The distributed power movement got a boost from American GasAssociation (AGA) Chairman David Biegler this week from remarksmade at the 17th Congress of the World Energy Council (WEC) inHouston. “Distributed power is attractive to consumers, especiallyin facilities like manufacturing plants, laundries and hospitalsthat need both electric power and thermal energy,” said Biegler,CEO of Texas Utilities. “It can cut costs, provide waste heat foron-site use and improve power quality and reliability.” Hepredicted distributed power could provide as much as 50 gigawattsof power by 2015, compared to less than 2 GW today.

Bill Richardson was sworn in as the new energy secretary onTuesday, one day after Senate Energy Committee Chairman FrankMurkowski (R-AK) cleared him of allegations that he may have misledCongress when testifying during his confirmation hearing last monthabout a job offer he made to former White House intern Monica S.Lewinsky.

Senate Energy Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) onMonday cleared Energy Secretary in-waiting Bill Richardson ofallegations that he may have misled Congress when testifying duringhis confirmation hearing last month about a job offer he made toformer White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky.

Senate Energy Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-AK) onFriday asked President Clinton to delay swearing in Bill Richardsonto head the Department of Energy until the committee has had anopportunity to review allegations that he may have lied during hisconfirmation hearing about a job offer that was made to MonicaLewinsky.