Southern California Edison last week asked FERC Chief Administrative Law Judge Curtis Wagner Jr. to issue subpoenas to three pipeline companies and an energy marketer in California in an effort to ferret out “other factors” — aside from those already attributed to El Paso Natural Gas — that may have contributed to the escalating natural gas prices in the state.
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Subpoenas Sought in El Paso Price-Manipulation Case
Southern California Edison has asked FERC Chief Administrative Law Judge Curtis Wagner Jr. to issue subpoenas to three pipeline companies and an energy marketer in California in an effort to ferret out “other factors” — aside from those already attributed to El Paso Natural Gas — that may have contributed to the escalating natural gas prices in the state.
CPUC’s Lynch Blasts FERC Decision
California’s chief energy regulator Monday blasted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for its decision last week to uphold El Paso Natural Gas Co.’s contract with an a affiliate for 1.22 Bcf/d of interstate pipeline capacity to the California border. Further, she speculated the investigation FERC did order, regarding allegations of market manipulation, was offered insincerely on a timetable that makes it moot.
Congress Told to Let CA Alone to ‘Do Our Thing’
“Let us [California] just do our thing and leave us alone withfederal legislation,” the state’s chief negotiator for powercontracts urged a House subcommittee yesterday.
Anadarko Chief Sees Slow or No Production Growth
Like other producers last week who pointed to flat growth (seerelated story) despite ramped up exploration and productionprograms, Anadarko Energy Services president Richard Sharplespredicted U.S. domestic gas production may rise only slightly thisyear.
Prices Rally on Fresh Forecasts, Except in California
Traders cited new forecasts of colder weather, both near-termand intermediate-term, as the chief instigator of yet anotherreversal in cash market direction Thursday. Nearly all pointsrecorded strong gains between about a quarter and 60 cents.California was the conspicuous exception with further largedeclines, but it remained the most expensive market by far.
CA Lawmaker Proposes Tighter Price Caps
California’s leading state legislator for energy issues and thechief architect of its 1996 electricity restructuring law last weekdeclared the state’s electricity market as “not workablycompetitive” and urged that state energy authorities re-establishprice caps at their original levels to mitigate against extremeprice spikes when the weather heats up.
FERC Pushes CA ISO to Settle with Municipals
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s chief administrativelaw judge spent part of Wednesday in a telephone meeting with thegeneral manager of the nation’s largest municipal utility, tryingto bring successful closure to a two-year-old stalemate centered onCalifornia’s independent electric grid operator (Cal-ISO). Cal-ISOwould only confirm that they are in the midst of “very sensitive”negotiations, and a resolution wasn’t expected any time soon.
Alberta Regulators Order Producers to Shut in 146 Wells
The founding cornerstone of regulation in Canada’s chief energysupply province has turned out to be alive and well — andoperating at the expense of natural gas producers.
Alberta Orders Shut In of 146 Wells
The founding cornerstone of regulation in Canada’s chiefenergy-supplier jurisdiction has turned out to be alive and well— and operating at the expense of natural gas producers.