Commission

Illinois Power Co. received unanimous approval last week fromthe Illinois Commerce Commission to transfer all its fossil-fueledgenerating stations and associated support staff to a newsubsidiary of parent company Illinova Corp. The move still requiresFERC approval. If completed it would be the first time an electricutility was allowed to transfer its entire fossil generating fleetto a separate unregulated affiliated company, Illinova said. Thespin-down was one of the requirements set out in a merger agreementsigned last month by Illinova and Dynegy. That merger is expectedto be completed early next year.

Illinois Power Co. received unanimous approval yesterday fromthe Illinois Commerce Commission to transfer all its fossil-fueledgenerating stations and associated support staff into a newsubsidiary of parent company Illinova Corp. The move still requiresFERC approval. If completed it would be the first time an electricutility was allowed to transfer its entire fossil generating fleetinto a separate unregulated affiliated company, Illinova said. Thespin-down was one of the requirements set out in a merger agreementsigned last month by Illinova and Dynegy. That merger is expectedto be completed early next year.

Mexico’s energy regulatory commission (CRE) defined the gasdistribution geographic zone of North Bajio to includemunicipalities Aguascalientes-Jesus Maria-San Francisco de losRomo, Aguascalientes; San Luis Potosi-Soledad de Graciano Sanchez,San Luis Potosi; and Zacatecas-Guadalupe, Fresnillo, Calera andMorelos, Zacatecas. About $35 million will be needed to develop thedistribution network, the CRE said. Belgian company Tractebel issaid to be interested in developing the distribution system. Theregion has more than 1.6 million residents and 342,000 homes 86% ofwhich are equipped with running water and liquefied propane gasinstallations. The homes consume about 16.2 MMcf/d of propane.

Dominion Resources and Consolidated Natural Gas won approval for their merger from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) in CNG’s home state, but not without concessions for both gas and electric ratepayers.

Midcoast Energy Resources said Midcoast del Bajio has beenawarded a permit by the Mexican Energy Regulatory Commission tobuild a 59-mile, 16-inch diameter gas pipeline in the Bajio regionin the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. The line will runfrom an interconnection with a Pemex near Valtierrilla to Leon andwill provide gas transportation services to parts of central Mexicothat currently do not have access to gas. Midcoast del Bajio willhold an open season from July 16 to July 26 for firm transportationcapacity on the proposed pipeline. And a series of informationalmeetings will be held jointly with Pemex to answer questions frompotential transportation customers and other interested parties.The meetings will be held on June 24 in Irapuato, Guanajuato at theHotel Parador del Rio and on June 25 in Leon, Guanajuato at theFiesta Americana Hotel.

Under the “Energize RI” program, Providence Gas Co. (ProvGas)has been awarded $2.45 million by the Rhode Island Public UtilitiesCommission (PUC) for losses attributable to external forces theutility experienced last winter. The original request was grantedby the the PUC’s Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (theDivision) in March but it was subject to PUC approval.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission finalized rules forfull customer choice, setting the procedure for all of the state’s5.2 million electric customers to choose suppliers.

Under the “Energize RI” program, Providence Gas Co. (ProvGas)was awarded $2.45 million Wednesday by the Rhode Island PublicUtilities Commission (PUC) for losses attributable to externalforces the utility experienced last winter. The original requestwas granted by the the PUC’s Division of Public Utilities andCarriers (the Division) in March but it was subject to PUCapproval.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission finalized rules forfull customer choice, setting the procedure by which all of thestate’s 5.2 million electric customers can choose suppliers.