Consumers

Indiana consumers and government officials would gain more localcontrol over merchant power plant sitings under legislation nowmaking its way through the Indiana House. HB 1979, sponsored byRep. Tiny Adams (D-Muncie), would give local municipalities andzoning boards more veto power over the siting process.

Decisions that could affect the continued supply of power toCalifornia consumers and the price of that power could be renderedthis week in separate cases in federal courts in Los Angeles andSacramento.

A small decline at the MichCon and Consumers Power, and a largerone at the Southern California border were the only exceptions tothe raging bull market that continued to prevail in cash tradingThursday. Otherwise, average price increases ranged from about 50cents in parts of Louisiana to more than $4 at the Chicagocitygate.

The New York State Public Service Commission yesterday approvedseveral items that ultimately will benefit consumers, including arequest to transfer ownership of two electricity generatingfacilities in the state and two items that would give refunds tonatural gas customers this winter.

Electric restructuring is almost a reality for Ohio consumersstatewide as American Electric Power’s (AEP) transition plan andMonongahela Power’s plan were approved by the Public UtilitiesCommission of Ohio. AEP’s and Monongahela’s Ohio customers will nowjoin the customers of the other three utilities in enjoying thefreedom of choosing their electricity supplier, with servicestarting as early as Jan. 1.

Electric restructuring is almost a reality for Ohio consumersstatewide as American Electric Power’s (AEP) transition plan wasthe latest to be approved by the Public Utilities Commission ofOhio. AEP’s Ohio customers will now have the freedom of choosingtheir electricity supplier, with service starting as early as Jan.1.

Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES) made an alliance withSouthern Company Energy Marketing to bring competitively pricedelectricity to consumers and businesses in Maryland. Southern willprovide wholesale power supply and scheduling services to WGES.

The number of U.S. consumers and small businesses “choosing tohave a choice” in their electric and gas service has doubled sinceJan. 1 to 3 million and is expected to reach 4 million by the endof the century, according to a report by Cambridge Energy ResearchAssociates (CERA).

The controversy surrounding an idle Southern California Gas Co.underground storage field in the Los Angeles Basin continues tosimmer as the ongoing state investigation into SoCal’s potentialmisuse of the power of eminent domain goes forward with hearingsscheduled for October. All the facts may never surface publicly,and even if they do, it will take months of complicated regulatoryproceedings.