Given

FERC has given the green light for PG&E and Avista to moveforward on an investigation into the potential development of a newnatural gas storage facility in Eastern Washington near theStanfield Hub.

FERC has given the green light for PG&E and Avista to moveforward on an investigation into the potential development of a newnatural gas storage facility in Eastern Washington near theStanfield Hub.

Given that the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) isalready working to remedy market flaws in its system, FERC hasrejected the relief sought by Niagara Mohawk Energy Marketing Inc.(NIMO Marketing) in connection with the NYISO’s software-relatedfailure to export power to the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland(PJM) system in early May.

Given that the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) isalready working to remedy market flaws in its system, FERC rejectedthe relief sought by Niagara Mohawk Energy Marketing Inc. (NIMOMarketing) in connection with the NYISO’s software-related failureto export power to the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM)system in early May.

Natural gas marketers, which hadn’t given the proposedgreenfield Independence Pipeline and SupplyLink expansion a secondlook in the past, have signed up for firm transportation capacityon the controversial Midwest-to-East Coast pipeline projects, withone noting the projects were more appealing this time around.

The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) has given a greenlight to the July 1 transfer of 1,300 MW of Allegheny Energy Inc.’sPotomac Edison generating assets to its non-regulated energy supplyaffiliate. The transfer of the generating assets to AlleghenyEnergy Supply Co. LLC will give it more than 5,400 MW of low-costgenerating capacity to sell in the deregulated marketplace.

The Virginia Corporation Commission (SCC) has given finalapproval to the merger of Dominion Resources Inc. (DRI) andConsolidated Natural Gas Co. CNG). The SCC said it is satisfied therecent approval of the merger by the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) is not inconsistent with the Virginia commission’sprevious orders. The SCC reserved the opportunity to review the SECorder to ensure that Virginia’s ability to safeguard Virginiaratepayers was maintained. The merger means the control of VirginiaNatural Gas (VNG), a subsidiary of CNG, will transfer to DRI, theparent company of Virginia Power.

Parties in ongoing settlement negotiations have given up hope ofan all-encompassing, permanent solution to California’s futurenatural gas unbundling puzzle following an Oct. 6 meeting in LosAngeles. The best and most realistic hope now appears to be forattaining consensus on an interim solution by the regulator-imposedOct. 27 deadline, along with what parties describe as an”aggressive” timetable of up to two years for resolving andimplementing the issues of intra-state transmission and storageunbundling.

Landowners – those most directly affected by pipeline projects -were given a greater role in the certificate process last week whenFERC issued a final rule that requires pipes to provide propertyowners with earlier and more-detailed notification of theirprojects.