Energy

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authority formandatory pipeline bypass of a distribution company is up for grabsagain as a result of an Eleventh Circuit court decision lastThursday in the long-running Arcadian case (Atlanta Gas Light et alv. FERC 92-9121).

Columbia Energy CEO Oliver G. (Rick) Richard gazed deep into acrystal ball yesterday for the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgiaand saw thousands of municipal gas customers using the Internet tochoose from among a plethora of alternative gas suppliers. All themunicipals saw through that crystal, however, was Richard on theother side.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission yesterday issued anotice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) in which it seeks industrycomments on how to create an efficient electronic informationsystem for processing and distributing filings.

Departing Energy Secretary Federico Pena indicated yesterday thedepartment has nearly finished its work on the legislative proposalfor electricity restructuring, but other federal agencies arelagging behind in their input.

Duke Energy, Iroquois Pipeline and Williams Cos. have teamed upto build a $240 million gas pipeline, called the LighthousePipeline, to extend under Long Island Sound to southernConnecticut. The pipeline would transport U.S. and Canadian naturalgas from Williams’ Transco pipeline, Duke’s Algonquin and TexasEastern pipelines and the Iroquois pipeline to new generationprojects in Southern Connecticut. It’s also expected to facilitatedevelopment of other power generation projects on Long Island.

Look for NGC to focus its efforts on growing the powergeneration segment of its energy store concept of providing gas,power and gas liquids, CEO Chuck Watson told reporters in HoustonMonday. “We are going to optimize and strategically grow our powergeneration assets. Greater than 50%, probably almost 75%, of ouravailable cash flow in this company over the next several yearswill be in power generation, either greenfield projects, merchantplants, or in possibly acquiring some of these plants that are spunoff from the utilities over the next several years.”

A final rule voted out Wednesday by the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission sets June 1, 1999 as the date when allpipelines must provide all information and conduct all businessusing the public Internet and standardized protocols.

The Canadian inlet to the proposed Portland Natural GasTransmission System has received approval from the National EnergyBoard, in time for completion on schedule this Nov. 1. Titled thePNGTS Extension, the route will be built by Trans Quebec &Maritimes Pipeline Inc. from a connection with the TransCanadasystem in eastern Quebec at Lachenaie to an exit into New Hampshireat East Hereford.

KN Energy is holding an open season for expansion of its systemfrom production fields in Wyoming to the Rockport Hub in northcentral Colorado.