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Texas Land Commissioner David Dewhurst last week presented aplan to a special senate committee on electric utilityrestructuring that would allow the land commissioner to convert thestate’s oil and gas earned from public lands into electricity andsell it to Texas schools, state agencies, and local governments.

Despite record earnings last year, Coastal Corp. CEO David A.Arledge admitted in January that 1999 would be a “challengingyear.” Coastal began to prepare for that challenge last week bystarting a corporate belt-tightening program that will include awork-force reduction.

American Gas Association President David Parker yesterdaydismissed industry speculation that the gas LDC group is exploringthe prospect of combining with its electric counterpart, the EdisonElectric Institute.

Think anything but gas is the way to go for the energyindustry’s future? Forget about it. Gas is where it’s at and whereit will continue to be for some time, Coastal CEO David Arledgetold a room full of producers in Houston at the Texas IndependentProducers &amp Royalty Owners Association’s (TIPRO) luncheon lastweek.

Think anything but gas is the way to go for the energyindustry’s future? Forget about it. Gas is where it’s at and whereit will continue to be for some time, Coastal CEO David Arledgetold a room full of producers in Houston at the Texas IndependentProducers & Royalty Owners Association’s (TIPRO) Tuesdayluncheon yesterday.

Duke Energy Power Services (DEPS) named David L. Rehn presidentand chief executive officer. Rehn first joined Duke Power’s designengineering department in 1975. As an engineering project managerin the mid-1980s, he was instrumental in the development of the BadCreek Hydroelectric Station. He replaces Paula Rosput, who departedto become president and COO of Atlanta Gas Light Co.

The distributed power movement and alternative energytechnologies got a boost from American Gas Association (AGA)Chairman David Biegler last week in his remarks at the 17thCongress of the World Energy Council (WEC) in Houston.

The distributed power movement got a boost from American GasAssociation (AGA) Chairman David Biegler this week from remarksmade at the 17th Congress of the World Energy Council (WEC) inHouston. “Distributed power is attractive to consumers, especiallyin facilities like manufacturing plants, laundries and hospitalsthat need both electric power and thermal energy,” said Biegler,CEO of Texas Utilities. “It can cut costs, provide waste heat foron-site use and improve power quality and reliability.” Hepredicted distributed power could provide as much as 50 gigawattsof power by 2015, compared to less than 2 GW today.

It’s been a quick five months since David Parker took over thehelm at the American Gas Association but he’s already shown awillingness to pick up the cost-cutting flag and run with it.Parker said yesterday in an interview with NGI he’s made acommitment to the AGA board to continue restructuring measures,including changes that will further cut costs and hold down dues.