Clarify

While lawyers talked about a major step forward in 11 separate lawsuits that have been consolidated in California state courts regarding allegations that El Paso Corp. and San Diego-based Sempra Energy conspired to block increased interstate natural gas pipelines serving the state, Sempra tried Thursday to downplay a San Diego judge’s action, stressing that it was strictly procedural and did not rule on the merits of the lawsuits.

While lawyers talked about a major step forward in a consolidated case in California state courts regarding allegations that El Paso Corp. and Sempra Energy conspired to shut out new pipelines, Sempra tried Thursday to downplay a San Diego judge’s action, stressing that it was strictly procedural and not a ruling on the merits.

FERC last Wednesday sought to bring clarity to when power sellers would be on the hook for refunds under a sweeping order issued last year. That order, issued Nov. 20, proposed to revise all existing market-based rate tariffs and authorizations to prohibit the exercise of market power and anticompetitive behavior.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to “explicitly clarify” its standards to regulate the flow of non-public information between regulated natural gas and power companies and their non-regulated affiliates at its scheduled meeting this week.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to “explicitly clarify” its standards for regulating the flow of information between regulated natural gas and power companies and their non-regulated affiliates at its next scheduled meeting on Sept. 26.

Although FERC’s recent effort to clarify its interconnectionpolicy was a “major step” in the right direction, the ElectricPower Supply Association (EPSA) last week said greater reforms wereneeded to protect new generators seeking to interconnect to thepower grid. It asked the Commission to issue a policy statementthat would “comprehensively” spell out “the rights, obligations andexpectations” of interconnecting generators and providers ofinterconnection/transmission services.

Although FERC’s recent effort to clarify its interconnectionpolicy was a “major step” in the right direction, the ElectricPower Supply Association (EPSA) said greater reforms are needed toprotect new generators seeking to interconnect to the power grid.It has asked the Commission to issue a policy statement that would”comprehensively” spell out “the rights, obligations andexpectations” of interconnecting generators and providers ofinterconnection/transmission services.

A team of El Paso Natural Gas executives last week tried toclear away any confusion that their transportation customers mayhave had with the pipeline’s new capacity-allocation proposal, buttheir efforts appeared to have fallen short as some shippers leftthe FERC technical conference more bewildered than when they wentin.

A team of El Paso Natural Gas executives took the opportunityyesterday to explain in detail to their transportation customersthe pipeline’s new capacity-allocation proposal, but many left theFERC technical conference more bewildered than when they arrived.