Distribution

The New York State Public Service Commission has acted to eitherfreeze or decrease the distribution portion of charges to naturalgas customers of Niagara Mohawk Power through Aug. 31, 2003 as partof a multi-year rate and restructuring plan.

From coast to coast, utilities and local distribution companies(LDCs) are preparing for the peak natural gas-usage season thiswinter by filing rate hikes with regulators, and bracing theircustomers for inflated gas prices that are still to come.

From coast to coast, utilities and local distribution companies(LDCs) are preparing for the peak natural gas-usage season thiswinter by filing rate hikes with regulators, and bracing theircustomers for inflated gas prices that are still to come.

Atlanta Gas Light, the distribution utility for more than 1.5million customers in Georgia, said last week that through a ratecase settlement with Southern Natural Gas Pipeline (Sonat) and anew agreement with Transco’s SouthCoast project, its customersstand to save anywhere from $10 million to $32 million annually.

Atlanta Gas Light, the distribution utility for more than 1.5million customers in Georgia, said yesterday that through a ratecase settlement with Southern Natural Gas Pipeline (Sonat) and anew agreement with Transco’s SouthCoast project, its customersstand to save anywhere from $10 million to $32 million annually.

TXU of Dallas agreed to sell its majority interest in a MexicoCity gas distribution system to Gas Natural and Hidroelectrica delCantabrico for $68 million. Gas Natural will become operator whenthe deal closes, which is expected later this year.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is conducting asurvey of local distribution companies (LDCs) in four northeasternstates to determine the extent that interruptible natural gascontracts influenced home heating oil prices this winter.

DTE Energy Technologies, an unregulated subsidiary of DTE EnergyCo., reached a distribution agreement with Waukesha, WI- basedGENERAC Power Systems, a manufacturer of prepackaged standby powersystems for homes and small businesses.

Reliant Energy International Inc. said it has sold its 50%indirect interest in a natural gas distribution company alongMexico’s Gulf Coast. Tractebel purchased Gas Natural de Rio Panucofrom an indirect subsidiary of Reliant and its Mexican partner,Corporacion Gutsa SA de CV (Gutsa) for $8.5 million. NorAm Energy,which was acquired by Reliant Energy in August 1997, partnered withGutsa to win a 30-year concession to build, operate and maintain anatural gas system in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas.The area includes the cities of Tampico, Ciudad Madero andAltamira, which lie in the Panuco River Basin, and has a totalpopulation of one million.