Chapter

Weeks after emerging from two years in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Calpine Corp. senior officials Friday talked bullishly about the reorganized independent power plant developer’s future in a carbon-conscious environment. They think the company can take advantage of shrinking reserve margins and are talking up California and Texas markets in which the company has the majority of its fleet of natural gas-fired power plants.

Another chapter in California’s growing attempts to harness its abundance of solar energy was written in the wee hours of last Wednesday morning when the state legislature passed a statewide incentive program for solar water heating (AB 1470). The measure will now go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is expected to sign it, according to the environmental group that helped craft the bill. The final Assembly vote was 43-29.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York on Tuesday approved a partial settlement between independent oil and natural gas producer Rosetta Resources Inc. and Chapter 11-bound Calpine Corp. On the same day, Rosetta asked the court to dismiss Calpine’s unsettled allegations of fraudulent actions by the producer (see Daily GPI, Sept. 12).

Another chapter in California’s growing attempts to harness its abundance of solar energy was written in the wee hours Wednesday morning when the state legislature passed a statewide incentive program for solar water heating (AB 1470). The measure will now go to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is expected to sign it, according to the environmental group that helped craft the bill. The final Assembly vote was 43-29.

Houston-based independent producer Rosetta Resources Inc. has reached a partial settlement with Chapter 11-bound Calpine Corp. over the independent power generation developer/operator’s sale two years ago of its North American oil and natural gas reserves. No dollar amount was assigned to the partial deal, which is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York.

Houston-based independent producer Rosetta Resources Inc. announced Monday it has reached a partial settlement with Chapter 11-bound Calpine Corp. over the independent power generation developer/operator’s sale two years ago of its North American oil and natural gas reserves. No dollar amount was assigned to the partial deal that is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York.

Drawing a close to an earlier chapter in the utility holding company’s almost decade-long history, San Diego-based Sempra Energy last week confirmed it has found a buyer, Great Falls, MT-based Energy West Inc., for its two small, start-up natural gas distribution utilities in the East — in Bangor, Maine, and North Carolina. Collectively, the two utilities have slightly more than 1,000 customers.

Drawing a close to an earlier chapter in the utility holding company’s almost decade-long history, San Diego-based Sempra Energy Monday confirmed it has found a buyer, Great Falls, MT-based Energy West Inc., for its two small, start-up natural gas distribution utilities in the East — in Bangor, Maine, and North Carolina. Collectively, the two utilities have slightly more than 1,000 customers.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. wrote a new chapter in the energy industry’s continuing clashes with Native American tribes throughout the West on Thursday when its CEO traveled to the Arizona town of Topock on the Colorado River, which forms the border with California, to solidify an agreement and make a public apology to the Fort Mojave Tribe.