Cpuc

Sempra Energy and California regulators were put on the hotseat during a Senate hearing last week for their continued opposition to the new interstate pipeline and expansion projects that have been proposed for the natural gas-hungry California market.

Sempra Energy and California regulators were put on the hotseat during a Senate hearing yesterday for their continued opposition to the new interstate pipeline and expansion projects that have been proposed for the natural gas-hungry California market.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. was authorized by state regulatorsThursday to borrow an additional $1.4 billion in short-term debt tocover under-collections caused by wholesale power prices exceedingfrozen retail rates the utility is allowed to charge itselectricity customers under the state’s restructuring program.

Although FERC is pulling out the stops to address this summer’s upheaval in California’s bulk power market, Chairman James J. Hoecker made clear last week that most of the responsibility for correcting the dysfunctional electric market lies with the California legislators and regulators who created it.

Although FERC is pulling out the stops to address problems inthe bulk power market, with an emphasis on California, ChairmanJames J. Hoecker yesterday made clear most of the responsibilityfor correcting the dysfunctional power market lies with theCalifornia legislators and regulators who created it.

Once again up against a regulator-imposed deadline, SouthernCalifornia Gas on Monday is expected to file its latest attempt ata final, all-parties settlement in California’s never-endingnatural gas industry restructuring, which has been dragging on formore than two years.

Once again up against a regulator-imposed deadline, SouthernCalifornia Gas Co. is expected to file today its latest attempt ata final, all-parties settlement in California’s never-ending gasindustry restructuring, which has been dragging on for more thantwo years.

In an 11th-hour move yesterday, California regulators delayeduntil August a proposed interim action that would expand naturalgas unbundling and set an aggressive schedule for a final gasrestructuring decision by year end. The proposal, which includesunbundling billing and eliminating any restrictions on current gasaggregation among residential and small business customers, will beconsidered when the California PUC meets again Aug. 6.

A California Public Utility Commission administrative law judgehas recommended approval of the proposed Pacific Enterprises-EnovaCorp. merger, citing potential savings of $288 million spread overfive years and divided equally between ratepayers and shareholders.