Generally

Industry Briefs

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Bureau ofEconomics and of Policy Planning said it generally supports theshort-term and long-term remedies that FERC has identified for theCalifornia power market but believes FERC should provide moreconcrete advice on how best to configure the organization that willoperate and control the transmission grid in the state. In commentsfiled with FERC this week, the FTC said FERC should considercreating a benchmark or a baseline of characteristics andoperations for regional transmission organizations that can be usedas a starting point as part of its revisions to California’swholesale electric power market rules and institutions. Inaddition, the comments suggest refinements to FERC’s proposedremedies to ensure that market power is not exercised in wholesaleelectric power markets, to the detriment of consumers. FERC OrderProposing Remedies for California Wholesale Electric Markets wasreleased Nov. 1 (see Daily GPI, Nov. 2). The order was intended toremedy deficiencies in market rules and institutions that havecontributed to recent reliability difficulties and high prices forelectric power in California.

November 30, 2000

Gas Production Making Small Gains

Now that most of the production data for the third quarter isin, analysts generally are saying they “told you so” because U.S.gas production is barely making desperately needed gains.Production is, however, growing slightly more than expected, andsome observers see huge gains to be made next year.

November 20, 2000

Gas Production Making Small Gains

Now that most of the production data for the third quarter isin, analysts generally are saying they “told you so” because U.S.gas production is barely making desperately needed gains.Production is, however, growing slightly more than expected andsome observers see huge production gains to be made next year.

November 15, 2000

Aftermarket Begins as Anticipated: Much Softer

The November aftermarket failed to surprise anyone by startingout Tuesday generally well below monthly indexes andlast-of-October prices. Only the Southern California border andMalin managed to stay close to bidweek levels.

November 1, 2000

Most Points See Strong Initial Aftermarket Pricing

Except for a few western points, the September aftermarket gotoff to a generally strong beginning. In swing deals done Thursdayfor the first (and in some cases for flow through Tuesday), mostmarkets registered double-digit increases over last-of-Augustlevels and also were well above September indexes.

September 1, 2000

Duke Offers Solutions to California’s Power Shortfall

As the western states generally, and California in particular,faced another blast of power-draining summer heat, Duke EnergyNorth America (DENA) last week proposed to California Gov. GrayDavis a combination of long- and short-term new generation and afive-year, fixed-price electricity option to buffer mass consumersfrom electric price volatility.

August 7, 2000

San Juan Prices Drop Amid Generally Firming Market

With the conspicuous exception of San Juan Basin, pricescontinued to rise by about a dime or more at most points Thursday.While still firming, the market’s increases were smaller than thoseon Wednesday.

August 4, 2000

Duke Offers Solutions to California’s Power Shortfall

As the western states generally, and California in particular,faced another blast of power-draining summer heat, Duke EnergyNorth America (DENA) proposed Monday to California Gov. Gray Davisa combination of long- and short-term new generation and afive-year, fixed-price electricity option to buffer mass consumersfrom electric price volatility.

August 1, 2000

Generally Flat Cash Prices Await New Guidance

The cash market, not having much in the way of new influencesother than a large drop in crude oil futures, got quieter Tuesdayin both activity level and price movement. Few points ranged anyfurther than 2-3 cents up or down from flat.

March 22, 2000

Leap Year Day Sees Rising Prices Except in California

Prices for the last day of February were generally on theupswing Monday, ranging from flat in California to more than a dimehigher at a few Northeast points.

February 29, 2000