Distribution

Old Dominion Electric Cooperative of Glen Allen, VA, issoliciting bids for peaking power for its 12 distributioncooperatives in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and alternativelyis considering construction of new generation stations.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and Oklahoma NaturalGas Co. (ONG) hammered out which of the LDC’s transmission anddistribution assets will be regulated and which will be unregulatedand open to competitive bidding. Once sufficient competition existsin the marketplace, competitors will bid to provide service usingthe unbundled assets. Unbundled assets are to be removed from ONG’srate base.

AES Corp., a major electric generation and distribution company, continued to shift its focus onto downstream operations by forming a new subsidiary, Power Direct, to compete for electricity and natural gas retail customers in U.S. markets. Power Direct already is licensed to sell electricity in New Jersey and anticipates the receipt of a license in Pennsylvania by the end of August. The company plans to begin marketing in those states in the near future.

AES Corp., a major electric generation and distribution company,continued to shift its focus onto downstream operations by forminga new subsidiary, Power Direct, to compete for electricity andnatural gas retail customers in U.S. markets, the company saidyesterday. Power Direct is already licensed to sell electricity inNew Jersey and anticipates the receipt of a license in Pennsylvaniaby the end of August. The company plans to begin marketing in thosestates in the near future.

Southern California Gas Co.’s proposed restructuring plan hasbeen pushed aside by six new confidential alternatives becausecertain aspects of the utility’s plan have been deemedanticompetitive and have the potential to allow gaming at theTopock, AZ, receipt point, according to observers and participantsin discussions taking place at a downtown Los Angeles hotel.

Dominion Resources Inc. and Consolidated Natural Gas Co. (CNG)have agreed to sell CNG’s Virginia Natural Gas (VNG) distributionsubsidiary in exchange for Virginia regulators’ support for theirproposed merger.

Western Resources yesterday threatened to cut its losses andsell the company to a national energy conglomerate because of adecision by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to reopen thedocket on its merger with Kansas City Power and Light. The KCCissued an order late Monday to reopen the merger docket because ofa stipulation and agreement Western signed with the Missouri PublicService Commission staff and others in the Missouri docket.

National Fuel Gas Co. said Philip C. Ackerman has been electedpresident of the company. David F. Smith will succeed Ackerman aspresident of National Fuel Distribution Corp. Ackerman has beenwith the company since 1968, and Smith has been with National Fuelsince 1978.

A survey released yesterday by the American Gas Association of69 gas local distribution companies shows LDCs last winter made ashift to more short-term gas supply contracts. The percentage ofpeak-day gas purchases made under long-term supply agreementsdeclined to 35% in winter 1998-99 from 38% in winter 1997-98, andthe percentage of LDCs with more than half of their peak-daypurchases under long-term arrangements dropped to 38% from 47%during the previous winter. Spot market purchases accounted for 10%of peak-day supplies on average compared to only 5% during theprior winter, AGA said. Storage deliveries comprised 41% ofpeak-day gas supplies.