Fine

The trial date for one of five former natural gas traders who were indicted in late November on charges of reporting false trades has been pushed back to August from February, according to a published report. The trials of four other ex-traders also may be rescheduled.

The former director of investor relations for Enron Corp. agreed to pay a $1.49 million fine to settle fraud charges, while the former COO of Enron Broadband Services (EBS) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and securities fraud last week, in the latest settlements with former executives at the bankrupt company.

The former director of investor relations for Enron Corp. on Wednesday agreed to pay a $1.49 million fine to settle fraud charges, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Mark Koenig settled with the SEC without admitting or denying the charges.

Coral Energy Resources, a Shell subsidiary, on Thursday became what may be one of the last of many energy trading companies to have settled charges by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) of false price reporting and attempted manipulation of the natural gas market. Coral paid a $30 million civil penalty in the settlement but neither admitted nor denied the charges.

Coral Energy Resources, a Shell subsidiary, on Thursday became what may be one of the last of many energy trading companies to have settled charges from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) of false price reporting and attempted manipulation of the natural gas market. Coral paid a $30 million civil penalty in the settlement but neither admitted nor denied the charges.

NUI Energy Brokers Inc. (NUIEB), the wholesale energy trading subsidiary of Bedminster, NJ-based NUI Corp., has agreed to pay the state of New Jersey $500,000 after pleading guilty to misconduct by a corporate official for transferring funds away from NUI’s utility subsidiaries as part of a gas purchasing program. In a separate agreement with the state on Wednesday, NUI Corp. agreed to fund and operate certain community service programs because of the misconduct.

A Reliant Energy affiliate will pay an $18 million fine and two CMS affiliates will pay a total of $16 million in fines to settle charges of market manipulation and other violations, according to two orders released Tuesday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). While they agreed to the settlements, the companies neither admitted nor denied any of the charges.

A Reliant Energy affiliate will pay an $18 million fine and two CMS affiliates will pay a total of $16 million in fines to settle charges of market manipulation and other violations, according to two orders released Tuesday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). While they agreed to the settlements, the companies neither admitted nor denied any of the charges.

Like most of the world, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) will have to accept being “average,” according to ratings released Thursday by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services that provide a triple-B-minus (BBB-) rating with a positive outlook for a company refinancing.