Consumer

A report by Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader, has charged that Enron Corp. used its political connections to its advantage in the electric deregulation battle and was “completely dependent on the removal of government oversight.”

A report by Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader, charges that Enron Corp. used its political connections to its advantage in the electric deregulation battle and was “completely dependent on the removal of government oversight.” Meanwhile, in an interview with the news media, former CEO Jeffrey Skilling said that his resignation last August had nothing to do with a belief that the company was failing. He also said the past few months have been the worst of his life.

California’s fledgling Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority (power authority) last week continued its breakneck start-up, announcing its pursuit of various gas-fired and renewable power generation projects that are aimed at giving the state another 3,000 MW online by next summer. In addition, the power authority said it has posted on its web site (www.capowerauthority.ca.gov) a draft request for bids for microturbine, solar and fuel cell projects.

Legislation in California that created the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority allows the new authority to engage in certain activities that may require FERC’s approval or, in certain cases, make the authority subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction.

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.3% decline in the Consumer Price Index in July, the first monthly decline since April 2000, and it was led by plummeting energy prices. The bureau reported that the energy index was down 5.6%, the largest drop since April 1986.

Several consumer groups in Montana, including the local chapter of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), want to pursue ballot initiatives that would call for the repeal of sections of the state’s deregulation law and a ratepayer rebate that would be funded by excess profits from generators.

As state legislators frantically try to come up with a legislative alternative to the governor’s deal with Southern California Edison Co., the consumer watchdog part of the California Public Utilities Commission last week blasted a more recent agreement, or memorandum of understanding (MOU), crafted with Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas and Electric Co.

Acting on recent Ohio legislation aimed at making natural gas customer-choice programs in the state more “consumer-friendly,” the recently formed Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC), the nation’s largest public energy aggregated buying group, reported that it has entered into a one-year contract with Shell Energy for natural gas services to residents of the 95 NOPEC communities.

Neutered earlier this year by federal and state actions, theCalifornia Power Exchange (Cal-PX) late Friday filed for Chapter 11protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, California CentralDistrict. The action came as another of the wounded in theCalifornia power crisis, Southern California Edison, told itsbondholders furtherÿrate increases for consumers are likely basedon the latest move last Wednesday by state regulators to assurethat all of the state water resource department’s (DWR’s) wholesalepower costs will be covered by utility rates,