Comes

FERC “took a large step” forward last Wednesday by approving the much-anticipated market monitoring and mitigation plan for the out-of-control California energy market, but it didn’t go far enough, according to officials with Williams Companies, the New York Public Service Commission and Dynegy Corp. California lawmakers, however, were far more blunt in their assessments.

While the power industry has tended to be fairly civil so far in its criticism of FERC’s plan to mitigate prices on real-time transactions in California during emergencies, lawmakers representing the state are letting the Commission have it with both barrels.

As natural gas shortages become almost commonplace, and pricescontinued to stay perched at the higher end, it comes as nosurprise that producers such as Chevron, Texaco and Burlington haveincreased their capital and exploratory spending programs in 2001.

Upon completion of its much awaited drilling operations at itsdeepwater exploration well on the Dana Point prospect in the Gulfof Mexico, Unocal Corp. announced that its $36 million investmentin the $51 million well drilling project produced nothing but a dryhole.

PowerTrust.com announced the appointment of Susannah Robinson asthe company’s COO. Robinson comes from Titan Energy, where sheserved as acting president and member of the board since 1997.While with Titan, she helped to build its natural gas and electriccustomer base from zero to 200,000. Prior to working for Titan,Robinson worked in regulatory and governmental affairs for Enron.

The Transco pipeline system’s capacity has increased by 204,099Dth/d with the start-up of the SouthCoast Expansion project. The$108 million expansion provides additional firm transportationcapacity to gas markets in Alabama and Georgia

Calling the deadly explosions on the El Paso Natural Gas andOlympic Pipe Line systems the “most visible indications of aserious, long-term problem,” Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN)introduced pipeline safety legislation last week in the House thathe says takes a tougher stance against natural gas and hazardousliquid pipelines than does the Senate measure passed last month.

Advancing its reputation as one of the more innovative pipelinesin the industry when it comes to ratemaking, Reliant Energy GasTransmission (REGT) submitted a rate filing with FERC that willgive customers an ‘in-kind’ balancing option. The plan is part ofto its Automatic Nomination Service (ANS), a ‘just-in-time’ supplymanagement service.

Advancing its reputation as one of the more innovative pipelinesin the industry when it comes to rate making, Reliant Energy GasTransmission (REGT) submitted a rate filing with FERC that willgive customers an ‘in-kind’ balancing option. The plan is part ofto its Automatic Nomination Service (ANS), a ‘just-in-time’ supplymanagement service.