Crucial

Major liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers have protested a crucial administrative law judge (ALJ) initial decision accepting restrictive interchangeability standards that were proposed by Florida Gas Transmission (FGT), saying it could limit the availability of Atlantic Basin LNG supplies to import terminals along the Gulf Coast.

A modified compromise on Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s proposed bankruptcy settlement should be worked out before next Thursday’s crucial vote by the California Public Utility Commission. The revised deal probably will win the approval of the creditors’ committee and bankruptcy court judge, one of the five CPUC commissioners told NGI during an interview Thursday in the state panel’s Los Angeles offices.

A modified compromise on Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s proposed bankruptcy settlement should be worked out before next Thursday’s crucial vote by the California Public Utility Commission. The revised deal probably will win the approval of the creditors’ committee and bankruptcy court judge, one of the five CPUC commissioners told NGI during an interview Thursday in the state panel’s Los Angeles offices.

Capping a nail-biting day for Allegheny Energy investors, the Maryland-based power company last Tuesday offered up good news for its shareholders. Allegheny said that based on substantial progress made in negotiations with lenders, two of its subsidiaries received extensions on waivers from bank lenders under their credit agreements through the end of this month.

While claiming FERC doesn’t want pipeline companies to have topay “ransom” to landowners, Commission Chairman James Hoecker saidpipelines must do a better job of hammering out early, innovativedeals with property owners affected by their projects.

While stressing FERC doesn’t want the pipeline companies to haveto pay “ransom” to landowners, Commission Chairman James Hoeckertold a meeting of the National Association of Regulatory UtilityCommissioners (NARUC) in San Francisco yesterday pipelines have todo a better job of hammering out early, innovative deals withproperty owners affected by their projects.

A FERC official last week confirmed that the Commission staff isreviewing its crucial “need” test used in certifying new pipelineprojects to determine whether any changes are warranted.