Competitor

Despite the objections of potential competitor SouthernCalifornia Gas (SoCal), FERC last week awarded Questar SouthernTrails Pipeline Co. a certificate to build a new 693-mile pipelinethat would directly serve customers in southern California —territory that has long been dominated by SoCal.

Despite the objections of potential competitor SouthernCalifornia Gas (SoCal), FERC has awarded Questar Southern TrailsPipeline Co. a certificate to build a new 693-mile pipeline thatwould directly serve customers in southern California — aterritory that has long been dominated by SoCal.

In the same week that plans for the creation of its largest competitor were finalized (see story this issue), Dynegy Midstream Services LP announced definitive agreements to sell certain East Texas gathering, treating and processing facilities to an independent midstream processing company. The closing of the sale is expected to occur prior to year-end. Neither the identity of the buyer nor the sale price was disclosed.

CNG Transmission Corp. last week called on FERC to dismiss thepending application of potential competitor Independence Pipeline,claiming that the 400-mile project was based on out-dated andfaulty demand projections for the Northeast gas market and lackedbinding precedent agreements. In addition, it said Independence hasdrawn “substantial opposition” from affected landowners andenvironmental groups.

CNG Transmission Corp. last week called on FERC to dismiss thepending application of potential competitor Independence Pipeline,claiming that the 400-mile project was based on out-dated andfaulty demand projections for the Northeast gas market and lackedbinding precedent agreements. In addition, it said Independence hasdrawn “substantial opposition” from affected landowners andenvironmental groups.

Over the din of protesters, especially soon-to-be competitorNatural Gas Pipeline Co. of America (NGPL), FERC last week deniedthe majority of rehearing requests and awarded Alliance PipelineL.P. its long-awaited optional certificate to build a majortransportation link between western Canadian production fields andthe U.S. Midwest.

QuickTrade released the first commercial Internet-basedelectronic power trading system this week. Streamline, its biggestcompetitor, is expected to follow suit over the next few months.The QuickTrade system is equipped to handle forward trades at 13hub locations across the U.S. and one in Canada, and so far hasattracted the interest of about 35 traders, 20 of which have signedup to begin utilizing the system.