Filed

Comments filed with the Maine Public Utility Commission showmarketers are opposed to all but the minimum registrationrequirements to participate in retail gas competition, while thestate’s new LDCs would like a significant amount of commissionoversight, particularly in the small customer market. The commentswere in response to the PUC’s Notice of Inquiry (NOI) into theRegulation of Gas Marketers, which was issued late last month.

National Fuel has filed an application with the PennsylvaniaPublic Utility Commission to begin a system-wide customer choiceprogram starting in April. The program would be a major expansionof the company’s current Energy Select pilot in Mercer County, inwhich 19,700 retail gas customers were allowed — actually forced– to choose alternative suppliers beginning in June 1997. Theexpanded program would offer a choice of suppliers to 210,000customers in National Fuel’s 14 county service territory. It alsowould include some significant differences from the Energy Selectpilot.

National Fuel has filed an application with the PennsylvaniaPublic Utility Commission to begin a system-wide customer choiceprogram starting next April. The program would be a major expansionof the company’s current Energy Select pilot in Mercer County, inwhich 19,700 retail gas customers were allowed – actually forced -to choose alternative suppliers beginning in June 1997. Theexpanded program would offer a choice of suppliers to 210,000customers in National Fuel’s 14 county service territory. It alsowould include some significant differences from the Energy Selectpilot.

Florida Power Corp. filed plans with the Florida Public ServiceCommission to accelerate the building of a second generation unitat its Hines Energy Complex in Polk County. The unit will provideadditional capability to meet growing demand for electricity wellinto the next century. The company has offered to absorbconstruction costs for the plant in its current customer rates.

Southern California Gas Co. has filed its latest two-yearcost-allocation rate proposal with California state regulators,proposing a massive $204 million rate cut, including transportationrate decreases for all customers with the largest targeted forlarge industrial and wholesale customers.

Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline recently filed an applicationwith the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to construct,own and operate a 1.1-mile, 12-inch diameter lateral pipeline toprovide gas service to the Maine Independence Station, currentlyunder construction in Veazie, ME. The Maine Independence Station isDuke Energy Power Services’ 520 MW gas-fueled generating station.

CalEnergy Co. and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. filed anapplication for review of proposal for reorganization with the IowaUtilities Board (IUB) in conjunction with their proposed merger.The merger agreement is also subject to approval by theshareholders of both companies, for which special meetings will becalled later this year. Completion of the merger is expected tooccur by the end of the first quarter of 1999.

As part of a comprehensive settlement filed at FERC Natural GasPipeline Company of America (NGPL) has proposed implementing aninteractive auction process for posting and awardingtransportation/storage capacity on its system within less than twoyears. Although the settlement reserves five contested issues, allof the “active” parties have indicated their support for theproposal.

Western Resources and Kansas City Power & Light filed anamended application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionto approve the Western Resources-KCPL merger and the formation ofWestar Energy, a new electric company.