While power demand hit record levels throughout the Northeastand power prices rocketed to $850/MWh yesterday, NRG Energycontinued to position itself as a major generator in thepower-hungry region. The subsidiary of Northern States Power landeda major power generation deal with Connecticut Light & Power ofHartford. NRG is snatching up 2,235 MW of generating capacity fromCL&P for $460 million.
Demand
Articles from Demand
FGT Plans Phase V Expansion Project
Florida has become a hot bed of new gas pipeline development andexpansions designed to serve burgeoning power generation demand.Even before the ink is dry on its last expansion application,Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) is gearing up for another $250million expansion filing with FERC later this year.
Weekend Load’s Price-Depressing Effect Returns
Unlike a week earlier, the slump in gas demand that almostalways accompanies a weekend had its usual negative effect on cashprices Friday. Declines ranged from only 3-4 cents at Midwest andNortheast citygates to as much as a dime or so at Southwest andRockies points, where most of the maintenance outages at processingplants and compressor stations had ended by Friday. Most otherpoints registered drops of about a nickel.
Weekend Prices See Only Mildest of Softening
The typical slump in gas demand that accompanies a weekend wasable to coax a smidgen of softness out of the cash marketFriday-but just barely. Flatness was the word at quite a fewpoints, and decreases at others only rarely exceeded 2-3 cents.Sources continued to remark on how relatively stable the marketfeels even when prices come off a little.
Market Claws Higher on Weather, Futures
Cash prices finished the week on a positive note as continuedincremental heating demand and a strong futures market bolsteredprices Friday. Trading was very active from the outset, a Gulftrader told Daily GPI. “There were some undeniable factors pointingto higher cash prices. Overnight gains in Access trading set thetone, then the over the counter market verified the strength,” heexplained. So it came as no surprise when the first cash offerswere a nickel or more above Thursday’s averages. But the marketcould not sustain the price rally and after buyers had filled theirrequirements at around 9:45 CST, seller realized their lowestprices of the day in late morning dealings.
Carolinas Demand Draws Proposals for Two New Pipes, One Expansion
The Carolinas are calling out for gas and so far three partieshave answered.
Trio ‘Volunteer’-ing to Supply Southeast With New Pipe
Burgeoning gas demand in the southeastern United States andChicago’s supply hub status have spawned another pipeline project.The latest comes from Columbia Gulf Transmission, AGL Resources,and MCN Energy Group. The trio last week began a six-week openseason offering up to 250,000 Dth/d of capacity on the proposedVolunteer Pipeline.
Trio Targeting Southeast With New Pipeline
Burgeoning gas demand in the southeastern United States hasspawned another pipeline project. The latest comes from ColumbiaGulf Transmission, AGL Resources, and MCN Energy Group. The trioyesterday began a six-week open season offering up to 250,000 Dth/dof capacity on the proposed Volunteer Pipeline.
Nymex Drop, Weekend Load Press Cash Downward
Shrinking demand due to warmer weather throughout the countryconspired with a 6.1-cent drop on the Nymex futures contractThursday to put an end to a small and short-lived boost from arelatively bullish storage report. Friday’s cash prices retreatedan average of 3-4 cents in most areas, erasing the small gains fromThursday’s trading, and bringing cash back to the level it hoveredaround most of the week.
Cash Uses Screen as Springboard for Small Increases
Fundamental weather demand didn’t change much, so it must havebeen the impetus from a rising Henry Hub futures contract thatallowed cash prices to post widespread small gains Tuesday, sourcessaid. Few of the increases were much more than 1-3 cents except forSumas, where prices rose as a force majeure remained in effect atWestcoast’s McMahon Processing Plant (see Transportation Notes).