Consumer

Proposed amendments to the omnibus Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 4173) cleared Thursday by the House Rules Committee for consideration on the House floor appeared to preserve the exemption for commercial commodities traders from requirements for clearing or exchange trading.

On the heels of a Houston rally sponsored by producer and consumer groups opposed to the House climate change bill, labor and environmental groups — in partnership with Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection — Thursday delivered a counter punch by launching a nationwide jobs tour in support of a clean economy and climate change legislation.

Signs of recovery in some sectors of the U.S. economy and rising consumer confidence have driven oil prices steadily higher in recent months, but other areas of the energy sector, including natural gas, have yet to be impacted by the “hope premium,” according to a report issued last week by Ernst & Young’s Americas Oil & Gas Center.

Signs of recovery in some sectors of the U.S. economy and rising consumer confidence have driven oil prices steadily higher in recent months, but other areas of the energy sector, including natural gas, have yet to be impacted by the “hope premium,” according to a report issued Monday by Ernst & Young’s Americas Oil & Gas Center.

An independent consumer unit at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday challenged the results claimed by private sector utility multi-billion-dollar energy efficiency programs and urged consumers to attend one of two public hearings the CPUC has scheduled for Monday (Los Angeles) and Tuesday (San Diego). Regulators have designated the meetings as “public participation hearings” for the major utilities’ $4 billion 2009-2011 efficiency programs.

Separate consumer sessions are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday by the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to allow for public input on a $4.6-8.5 million proposed rate decrease in the state for Las Vegas-based Southwest Gas Corp. The decrease in its annual gas cost adjustment process will be greater in the southern half of the state.

Driven by skyrocketing oil prices and howls of business and consumer pain heading into the November election, the Senate is expected to take up major legislation Tuesday designed to limit energy futures market speculation, which has been attacked as one of the major causes of the high prices.

Driven by skyrocketing oil prices and howls of business and consumer pain heading into the November election, the Senate is expected to take up major legislation Tuesday designed to limit energy futures market speculation, which has been billed as one of the major causes of the high prices.

NorthWestern Energy said the Montana Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved a stipulated agreement with the Montana Consumer Counsel (MCC) to settle the utility’s pending electricity and natural gas rate cases. The agreement resulted in a rate increase of about 2%, which has been in effect on an interim basis since Jan. 1. Last December NorthWestern announced the proposed settlement with the MCC, which included a $10 million annual increase in electric delivery rates, and an increase in natural gas delivery rates of $5 million annually. As part of the agreement, NorthWestern will provide 21 MW of unit-contingent power from Colstrip Unit 4 at $19/MWh below the Mid-C index price for a period of 78 months. NorthWestern will also make capital investments in 2008 and 2009 to improve and upgrade the existing electric transmission and distribution system. The company said it will recover this investment in rates over time but will not earn a rate of return on $38.8 million of the total investment. Under the terms of the agreement, NorthWestern will file another rate case in 2009. NorthWestern provides electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving approximately 650,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.