Cleared

Great Plains Energy Inc. has cleared the decks for the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to approve its acquisition of Aquila Inc., the company said Wednesday. Now it must placate regulators in Missouri to see the deal go forward.

There are major misunderstandings about FERC’s newly acquired power line backstop siting authority, and they can be cleared up by looking at what the federal regulation process has been for 60 years in interstate natural gas pipeline siting, Chairman Joseph Kelliher told a meeting of state regulators Nov. 12 in Anaheim, CA. Kelliher addressed the electricity committee at the annual meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

There are major misunderstandings about FERC’s newly acquired power line backstop siting authority, and they can be cleared up by looking at what the federal regulation process has been for 60 years in interstate natural gas pipeline siting, Chairman Josephn Kelliher told a meeting of state regulators Monday in Anaheim, CA. Kelliher addressed the electricity committee at the annual meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

Energy giant BP plc cleared up a backlog of violations last week as it reached agreements with a number of federal agencies to pay $380 million in penalties, restitution and other payments for allegedly manipulating the propane market, violating natural gas pipeline policies, a fatal explosion at its Texas City refinery in 2005 and crude oil pipeline leaks in Alaska in 2006.

National Grid plc’s bid to acquire KeySpan Corp. cleared its last regulatory hurdle on Aug. 23, with the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously voting to accept the $11.8 billion, 100% debt-financed merger. The deal, which was completed two days later, makes National Grid the second largest natural gas and electric utility in the United States.

National Grid plc’s bid to acquire KeySpan Corp. cleared its last regulatory hurdle Wednesday, with the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously voting to accept the $11.8 billion, 100% debt-financed merger. The deal puts National Grid into the major league of natural gas and electric companies in the United States.

The Senate narrowly defeated a Republican measure last Thursday that would have cleared the way for the exploration and production of natural gas off of Viginia’s shoreline. The vote underscored the Democrats’ unshakable stance against opeining up additional offshore regions to energy activity.

The Senate narrowly defeated a Republican measure Thursday that would have cleared the way for the exploration and production of natural gas off of Virginia’s shoreline. The vote underscored the Democrats’ unshakable stance against opening additional offshore regions to energy activity.

Following five years of public debate and analysis, the federal government has cleared the way to develop natural gas wells on thousands of acres in a formerly roadless area of the northern San Juan basin.