Efforts

Democrats in the House of Representatives yesterday hit the ground running in their efforts to force consideration of energy price-cap legislation on to the House floor. Democrats, who need signatures from 218 members in order to move the price-cap bill sponsored by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) directly to the House floor, had already collected more than half the required number of signatures as of late Wednesday.

Drawing parallels between the natural gas industry’s efforts several years ago to create seamless gas markets, FERC Commissioner William Massey last Tuesday called on the electric power industry to develop regional transmission organization (RTO) interregional coordination standards by the end of this year. In the absence of industry action on this front, FERC will have to take matters into its own hands, Massey warned during a technical conference.

Drawing parallels between the natural gas industry’s efforts several years ago to create seamless gas markets, FERC Commissioner William Massey yesterday called on the electric power industry to develop regional transmission organization (RTO) interregional coordination standards by the end of this year. In the absence of industry action on this front, FERC will have to take matters into its own hands, Massey warned during a technical conference.

NiSource Inc., headquartered in Merrillville, IN, is expanding its Washington, D.C. presence to enhance the company’s advocacy efforts on federal government issues, and beginning June 4, Rebecca T. Sczudlo will be the company’s vice president of federal government affairs. Sczudlo has 20 years experience in government affairs and communications, including seven years as a staff member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She also has worked for Shell Oil Co. as a government affairs representative. She will report to NiSource CEO Gary Neale on policy matters and to Ramon Arredondo, assistant to Neale, administratively.

NiSource Inc., headquartered in Merrillville, IN, is expanding its Washington, D.C. presence to enhance the company’s advocacy efforts on federal government issues, and beginning June 4, Rebecca T. Sczudlo will be the company’s vice president of federal government affairs. Sczudlo has 20 years experience in government affairs and communications, including seven years as a staff member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. She also has worked for Shell Oil Co. as a government affairs representative. She will report to NiSource CEO Gary Neale on policy matters and to Ramon Arredondo, assistant to Neale, administratively.

Looking to enhance its ability to ensure competitive and efficient wholesale electric power markets in the New England region, ISO New England Inc. last Wednesday unveiled a series of actions that the ISO said will allow it to more effectively identify and deter market-detrimental behavior such as attempts to manipulate wholesale markets and drive up electricity prices.

Looking to enhance its ability to ensure competitive and efficient wholesale electric power markets in the New England region, ISO New England Inc. yesterday unveiled a series of actions that the ISO said will allow it to more effectively identify and deter market-detrimental behavior such as attempts to manipulate wholesale markets and drive up electricity prices.

FERC last Wednesday said it would implement several additional measures in an ongoing effort to unsnarl the rat’s nest of problems that continues to hound wholesale electricity and natural gas markets out West. By a vote of 3-0, the Commission reaffirmed several actions, including allowing premiums on equity returns and accelerated depreciation for projects that increase electric transmission capacity in the short term, to address energy-related difficulties facing California and the western part of the country.

Looking to build on steps it has already taken to ease the supply of energy into California and other Western states, FERC yesterday said that it would implement several additional measures in an ongoing effort to unsnarl the rat’s nest of problems that continues to hound wholesale electricity and natural gas markets out West.