NiSource Inc. has inked a $2.15 billion deal to sell equity in its Indiana natural gas and electric utility to Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, which would defray some of the costs to modernize the natural gas system. Blackstone’s stake in Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (Nipsco) would position Nipsco to retire its 2,249 MW of coal-fired…
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Natural Gas to the Rescue in Colorado Springs Following Coal Plant Shutdown
Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has brought online six modular natural gas-fired units totaling 162 MW to replace the shuttered 207 MW Martin Drake coal-fired power plant. In a video posted online Tuesday (May 30), CSU highlighted the gas-fired units’ “small footprint and high reliability,” along with their “low emissions and low maintenance needs…” Following a…

Goldman Sees Floor for Falling European Natural Gas Prices With Fuel Switching – LNG Recap
Weak industrial demand and mild weather pushed European natural gas prices even lower on Monday after seven straight weeks of losses. The prompt Title Transfer Facility (TTF) contract fell below $10/MMBtu last week for the first time since June 2021 and stayed there Monday after falling another 1.5%. If prices continue to fall to near…

North American Coal Retirements, Asian LNG Demand Drive Global Natural Gas Rebound in 2023, GECF Says
Global natural gas consumption is expected to rebound this year as easing price volatility and rising economic activity boosts LNG imports from China and South Asia and North America’s power market continues to cut coal-fired capacity, according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). Researchers with the organization headquartered in Qatar in the annual report…

Could EPA’s Stringent Coal-Fired Emissions Rules Favor Natural Gas?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to strengthen and update rules around emissions from coal-fired power plants, which could affect natural gas. “By leveraging proven, emissions-reduction measures available at reasonable costs and encouraging new, advanced control technologies, we can reduce hazardous pollution from coal-fired power plants, protecting our planet and improving public health…

Minnesota Setting Course to Carbon-Free Emissions by 2040
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has signed into law clean energy goals that target a carbon-free electricity grid by 2040. State House File 7 (HF7) amended Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard statute. It added a target for electric utilities, generation and transmission cooperatives, and municipal power agencies to generate or procure by 2035 at…

Coal Gives Way to Renewables, While Natural Gas Demand Stays Strong in IEA Outlook
Renewable sources of energy are collectively on track to eclipse coal as the world’s leading source of electricity, with capacity growth forecast to nearly double in the next five years, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new report. IEA’s Renewables 2022 report forecasts that abundant energy drivers such as wind and solar will…

U.S. Power Sector Consumed Less Natural Gas in 2021, but Demand Seen Rebounding This Year
Consumption of natural gas by U.S. power generators fell by 3% year/year in 2021 after four straight years of growth, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Monday. “High natural gas prices in 2021 made natural gas a less competitive fuel, particularly compared with coal; coal prices for electricity generators remained relatively stable in 2021,” said…

Natural Gas Futures Recover Some Ground as Weather Model Adds Modest Demand
Stronger cash prices, short-covering and caffeine following late-night celebrations as the Houston Astros swept the New York Yankees to advance to their fourth World Series in six years. Those were among the myriad reasons market observers gave for Monday’s recovery along the Nymex natural gas futures curve. At A Glance: HDDs added to long-range forecasts…

Switching from Natural Gas to Coal Said More Difficult for Electric Utilities
A buffer against higher natural gas prices that has traditionally been available to U.S. electric utilities, gas-to-coal switching, has become less tangible as more coal-fired power plants are retired and supply chain challenges linger, according to analysts. “I do not think utilities have any options, other than to burn dry gas in their” combined cycle…