Charges

Looking beyond rate freezes and charges for strandedinvestments, California regulators last Thursday opened the doorfor greater retail electric price fluctuations in a decisionallowing the state’s three major investor-owned electric utilitiesto buy and sell some of their power outside the state-mandatednonprofit power exchange (Cal-PX).

Despite the fact that it has been awarded similar contracts, GasNatural Mexico charged last week that Mexico’s anti-trustcommission will not allow it to participate in an auction for amulti-million dollar natural gas distribution contract. Thecontract, scheduled to be awarded on June 21 by the ComisionReguladora de Energia (CRE), calls for a $100 million investment inthe heavily populated Guadalajara metropolitan area. Nearly 4million live there, and the Guadalajara contract will be one of thelargest issued by the government for natural gas distribution.

Despite the fact that it has been awarded similar contracts, GasNatural Mexico charged last week that Mexico’s anti-trustcommission will not allow it to participate in an auction for amulti-million dollar natural gas distribution contract. Thecontract, scheduled to be awarded on June 21 by the ComisionReguladora de Energia (CRE), calls for a $100 million investment inthe heavily populated Guadalajara metropolitan area. Nearly 4million live there, and the Guadalajara contract will be one of thelargest issued by the government for natural gas distribution.

Looking beyond rate freezes and charges for strandedinvestments, California regulators Thursday opened the door forgreater retail electric price fluctuations in a decision allowingthe state’s three major investor-owned electric utilities to buyand sell some of their power outside the state-mandated nonprofitpower exchange (Cal-PX).

Marking a significant increase from 1998, Burlington Resourcesestimated its replacement of reserves at 140% of total productionat a cost of 72 cents/Mcfe, the company said yesterday. Theseresults compare to 123% of replaced production at $1.10/Mcfe in1998. The bullish production news was dampened somewhat by theannouncement of a $225 million fourth quarter charge because ofperformance-related downward adjustments to some Gulf of MexicoShelf and Permian Basin assets.

An executive with Conoco Inc. last week accused interstatepipelines of intentionally burying information that customers needto determine whether pipes are exceeding their authorized rates ofreturn (RORs), which he strongly suspects is the case.

An executive with Conoco Inc. this week accused interstatepipelines of intentionally burying information that customers needto determine whether pipes are exceeding their authorized rates ofreturn on equity (RORs), which he strongly suspects is the case.

ANR Pipeline has picked up landowner support for its suitagainst the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) that chargesthe PSC unlawfully kept secret filings made by Wisconsin Gas forits competing Guardian Pipeline.

Consolidated Natural Gas paid a hefty price during the secondquarter for its proposed merger with Dominion Resources. Thecompany took a one-time $165.3 million, $1.12/share, charge relatedprimarily to cash-out of stock options and awards to about 700employees and took another $6.3 million charge, $0.04/share, for aworkforce reduction related to the merger. CNG reported a secondquarter loss from continuing operations of $80 million, or 83 centsa diluted share, compared with income of $46.8 million, or 49 centsa diluted share, a year earlier. The comparison was made worse by a$13.9 million, or $0.15/share, gain in 2Q98 related to a favorableregulatory decision. Excluding special items for both periods,income from continuing operations was 33 cents a diluted share in2Q99, compared to 34 cents in 2Q98. Wall Street consensus had CNGpegged quite a bit higher at $0.39/share.