Comprehensive

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is undertaking a “comprehensive” review of the reporting requirements for natural gas pipelines, the electricity industry and oil pipelines to determine which still are needed and which aren’t.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is undertaking a “comprehensive” review of the reporting requirements for natural gas pipelines, the electricity industry and oil pipelines to determine which still are needed and which aren’t.

Aquila and NiSource have formed an alliance to leverage their capabilities to provide comprehensive energy solutions, better manage the risk associated with operating NiSource’s sprawling pipeline, storage and utility assets, and to capitalize on market opportunities presumably created in the void left by Enron Corp.

Aquila and NiSource have formed an alliance to leverage their capabilities to provide comprehensive energy solutions, better manage the risk associated with operating NiSource’s sprawling pipeline and storage assets, and to capitalize on market opportunities presumably created in the void left by Enron Corp. The details of the alliance are being developed and will be provided as they are available.

Rep. Robert Matsui (D-CA) last week introduced an energy tax bill as a companion to the comprehensive energy legislation that was unveiled by Senate Democrats earlier this year. The Energy Security and Tax Incentive Policy Act proposes a number of tax incentives and credits to spur the construction of new interstate electric and natural gas transmission facilities — notably an Alaska pipeline — and more gas distribution lines, as well as additional gathering to promote development in remote areas.

Rep. Robert Matsui (D-CA) last week introduced an energy tax bill as a companion to the comprehensive energy legislation that was unveiled by Senate Democrats earlier this year.

Yankee Gas Services Co. has begun the first phase of a $23 million comprehensive, multi-year expansion of its natural gas distribution system that will include 70 miles of new gas mains and services throughout its service territory in Connecticut. The expansion follows an agreement with state regulators when the company completed its merger with Northeast Utilities (see Daily GPI, Dec. 30, 1999).

The Nevada legislature this week is expected to pass a new comprehensive energy law that delays for at least two years state efforts to restructure the electricity industry and to provide assurances that the state’s two major power utilities can recover all of their future costs. The governor is expected to sign the bill (AB 369), effectively freezing any more deregulation efforts, including the utilities’ divestiture of nine power plants (see Daily GPI, April 9).

It’s crunch time on the energy policy front, and the big guns are in play, preparing the ground for the administration’s much-heralded comprehensive energy strategy. Vice President Dick Cheney has been putting in a series of media appearances lately, supporting energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and a task force of energy experts has published a report calling on the nation to make some hard choices or face “more Californias in America’s future.”