Enforcement

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff announced that Susan J. Court, director of the Office of Enforcement (OE), is retiring after 27 years of service in the federal government. Her successor will be Norman Bay, a former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico and current associate professor of law at the University of New Mexico. He is expected to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 6.

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff announced that Susan J. Court, director of the Office of Enforcement (OE), is retiring after 27 years of service in the federal government. Her successor will be Norman Bay, a former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico and current associate professor of law at the University of New Mexico. He is expected to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on July 6.

FERC Thursday rejected the uncontested joint settlement entered into by its own Office of Enforcement staff with affiliates of collapsed hedge fund Amaranth Advisors LLC and two of its natural gas traders accused of manipulating the market to influence natural gas futures prices.

FERC Thursday rejected the uncontested joint settlement entered into by its own Office of Enforcement staff with affiliates of collapsed hedge fund Amaranth Advisors LLC and two of its natural gas traders accused of manipulating the market to influence natural gas futures prices.

The Winter Energy Market Assessment for 2008-2009 issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Enforcement staff on Thursday (see Daily GPI, Oct. 17), was issued by Arnie Quinn, not Charles Whitmore. NGI regrets the error.

FERC last Thursday issued two final rules and a policy statement aimed at bolstering and clarifying the agency’s enforcement of the regulated natural gas and electricity markets.

FERC Thursday issued two final rules and a policy statement aimed at bolstering and clarifying the agency’s enforcement of the regulated natural gas and electricity markets.

FERC Thursday rejected Energy Transfer Partners LP’s request for rehearing and stay of an order setting for hearing charges that it manipulated the natural gas markets at the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) and Waha, TX, trading hubs.

FERC enforcement has proposed that the agency increase the civil penalty against Energy Transfer Partners LP by $25 million to $107 million and raise the unjust profits that the company will be required to disgorge to $74.9 million in the event it is found guilty of manipulation of natural gas prices.