Considerably

As a marketer had predicted a day earlier, a majority of the cash market was able to continue ascending Tuesday — but by considerably smaller amounts (except in the rebounding Rockies) than on Monday. In addition, there were more flat to softer points as cooling trends began to reduce power generation demand in key northern market areas.

Participation in natural gas customer-choice programs has slowed considerably over the years, even though buyers of gas from marketers paid less than local distribution company (LDC) customers in most months between 2002 and 2005, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a new report.

Participation in natural gas customer-choice programs has slowed considerably over the years, even though buyers of gas from marketers paid less than local distribution company (LDC) customers in most months between 2002 and 2005, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a new report.

With a new state global climate change law and increasing industry pressure, Bellevue, WA-based Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Thursday sent a considerably more conservation- and clean energy-focused integrated resource plan (IRP) to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC), carrying implications for future natural gas-fired power generation in the Pacific Northwest. The new IRP emphasizes energy-saving programs, renewable resources and natural gas-produced electricity supplies over the next 20 years.

With a new state global climate change law and increasing industry pressure, Bellevue, WA-based Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Thursday sent a considerably more conservation- and clean energy-focused integrated resource plan (IRP) to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). It emphasizes energy-saving programs, renewable resources and natural gas-produced electricity supplies over the next 20 years.

On a day when some areas were experiencing their most frigid weather in the heating season so far, expectations that considerably more moderate conditions would be in place by early this week (Dec. 11-15) forced prices lower at nearly all points Friday. The nickel-plus drop by January futures a day earlier, bearish sentiment about the latest storage report and the decline of industrial load that typically accompanies a weekend also were negative factors in the cash market.

Prices continued to rise in the cash market Wednesday, but the gains were considerably smaller than those of a day earlier. And not only were there more points recording flat to lower numbers Wednesday, but the losses were larger in several cases. Trends toward milder temperatures in some areas were seen as responsible for the weakening of a still upwardly mobile market.

Prices continued to fall at nearly all points Tuesday, but the declines were considerably smaller than Monday’s, and the exceptions were a flat Sumas and a small gain of about a nickel at Texas Eastern-East Texas. The increasing likelihood that Tropical Storm Ernesto will avoid the Gulf of Mexico production area, massive screen weakness on the day before and a continued dearth of substantive cooling load outside the South and Southwest were cited as factors in the softness.

The ascent slowed down considerably, but prices extended this week’s rally into a third straight day Wednesday. As on the week’s first two trading days, awesome strength in energy futures and Southern air conditioning load continued to be primary drivers of cash market firmness.