Effective

For the second week in a row, Pacific Gas & Electricdeclared an unusual weekday low-inventory OFO. The order, effectivetoday, carries $1/dth penalties for negative imbalances exceeding10%.

Pacific Gas & Electric issued a high-inventory OFO,effective Saturday, with 5% tolerance for positive dailyimbalances. The utility projected above-target linepack throughtoday. However, fellow California distributor SoCal Gas did nothave an OFO-like Overnominations Day in place for Saturday.

Public Service Co. of Colorado and Cheyenne (WY) Light Fuel& Power will implement Operational Balancing Procedures in allareas effective Saturday and Sunday. The effect is to requireshippers to cut nominations to a level that does not exceedestimated daily consumption taken from a previous “Model Day” (inthis case July 4, 1999). Imbalance paybacks will not be allowedduring the OBP period.

Effective today through 9 a.m. Thursday Northern Natural said80,000 MMBtu/d will be affected by planned unit maintenance on itsSpearman Cargray System. A number of points are affected. SeeNorthern Natural’s bulletin board for details.

Effective May 1 until further notice, Tennessee will not acceptreceipt nominations at 20 meters on the Donna Line in South Texasor at 10 meters on the Kinder-Natchitoches (KN) Line in westernLouisiana as it prepares both lines to make them “piggable.” TheDonna and KN outages are scheduled to last until June 9 and June 1respectively. Delivery nominations will be allowed at theProvencal, Pitkin, Grant and J.R. Franks #1 meters on the KN Line.

Effective May 1 until further notice, Tennessee will not acceptreceipt nominations at 20 meters on the Donna Line in South Texasor at 10 meters on the Kinder-Natchitoches (KN) Line in westernLouisiana as it prepares both lines to make them “piggable.” TheDonna and KN outages are scheduled to last until June 9 and June 1respectively. Delivery nominations will be allowed at theProvencal, Pitkin, Grant and J.R. Franks #1 meters on the KN Line.

Fearing a weekend threat to system integrity from oversupply,Sonat implemented an OFO Type 6 effective Saturday (July 25) untilfurther notice. The OFO carries tiered penalties of up to $15/dthfor positive imbalances exceeding 8% of allocated deliveries.

TECO Energy’s Peoples Gas unit is cutting up to 240 jobs due toits decision to discontinue the gas piping, appliance installationand repair business effective July 15.

Although often seen as effective vehicles for achievingcompetition, pilot programs also are being used as a “delayingtactic” by some natural gas and electric utilities that aren’tbullish on the idea of bringing customer choice to their markets, amarketing official charged last week.