Counsel

Consumers may want to review their gas supply options as their current contracts expire, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) advised, following up on announcements late last month that Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion East Ohio have filed requests to lower their regulated gas rates for the upcoming quarter beginning October 26.

Consumers may want to review their gas supply options as their current contracts expire, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) advised, following up on announcements late last month that Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion East Ohio have filed requests to lower their regulated gas rates for the upcoming quarter beginning October 26.

General Counsel Kevin P. Madden is leaving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to take the position of executive vice president of legal, regulatory and governmental strategy at AGL Resources Inc., the company announced Tuesday. Madden has held a number of executive positions during his lengthy service with FERC, including deputy director of the Office of Markets, Tariffs and Rates, director of the Office of Pipeline Regulation, and director, Office of Hydropower Licensing. His experience includes primary responsibility for crafting and implementing such landmark federal regulatory decisions as Order Nos. 636, 637, 888 and 2000, which resulted in the restructuring of the natural gas and electric utility industries.”We are thrilled to have Kevin Madden, who has been a dominant force in the energy industry, join the AGL team,” said Paula G. Rosput, president and CEO of AGL Resources.

It doesn’t happen very often, so we’re noting an apparentlyspontaneous comment from Dynegy Counsel Ed Ross at a FERCRoundtable last week that one of his chief competitors, Enron, “hasdone an excellent job of being competitive.” He suggested otherscould look to Enron as a “model competitor. They’ve done a verygood job of setting up a strong financial desk and a strongphysical desk and we don’t see any problem with it. I think theyhave set up their books in a way that they truly have separationbetween the regulated and unregulated aspects of their business.”

It doesn’t happen very often, so we’re noting an apparentlyspontaneous comment from Dynegy Counsel Ed Ross at a FERCRoundtable last week that one of his chief competitors, Enron, “hasdone an excellent job of being competitive.” He suggested otherscould look to Enron as a “model competitor. They’ve done a verygood job of setting up a strong financial desk and a strongphysical desk and we don’t see any problem with it. I think theyhave set up their books in a way that they truly have separationbetween the regulated and unregulated aspects of their business.”

It doesn’t happen very often, so we’re noting an apparentlyspontaneous comment from Dynegy Counsel Ed Ross at a FERCRoundtable last week that one of his chief competitors, Enron, “hasdone an excellent job of being competitive.” He suggested otherscould look to Enron as a “model competitor. They’ve done a verygood job of setting up a strong financial desk and a strongphysical desk and we don’t see any problem with it. I think theyhave set up their books in a way that they truly have separationbetween the regulated and unregulated aspects of their business.”

The Market Oversight and Enforcement Section of FERC’s Office ofGeneral Counsel has ordered Williams Gas Pipelines Central Inc. topay refunds and reduce its base tariff rates for customers servedby its Webb storage facility in Grant County, OK.

In an unusual step last week, FERC Chairman James Hoeckeroffered some advice to the industry negotiators who have beenmeeting in closed-door sessions to craft an agreement on the majornatural gas initiatives contained in the notice of proposedrulemaking (NOPR) and notice of inquiry (NOI).

In an unusual step last week, FERC Chairman James Hoeckeroffered some advice to the industry negotiators who have beenmeeting in closed-door sessions to craft an agreement on the majornatural gas initiatives contained in the notice of proposedrulemaking (NOPR) and notice of inquiry (NOI).