Gives

FERC yesterday voted out a final rule that lays out “detailed”requirements for electric utilities to meet when submitting mergerapplications. The new rule is intended to help merger partners file”more complete” applications upfront, which then would improve theodds for speedier processing by the Commission, said CommissionerWilliam Massey, who has led the drive for a streamlined mergerprocess at FERC.

Natural gas futures finished the week on a strong note Friday astraders reacted to an unconfirmed (and later retracted) news reportthat the American Gas Association (AGA) had overestimated theamount of working gas in underground storage facilities. Aftergapping higher on the open, the December contract shuffled higherthroughout much of the session, closing 17.1 cents higher at$4.931.

Following on the heels of gains achieved in the Tuesday eveningAccess trading session and amid buying frenzies both before andafter the release of fresh storage data, natural gas futures spikedsharply yesterday as traders reacquired long positions liquidatedover the past two weeks.

Kentucky-based LG&E Energy and Powergen plc of the UnitedKingdom came one step closer yesterday to completing their sizablemerger. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved themerger sooner than either company expected.

Kentucky-based LG&E Energy and Powergen plc of the UnitedKingdom came one step closer yesterday to completing their sizablemerger. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved themerger sooner than either company expected.

With all the trajectory of a risk manager tethered to abungee-cord and thrust out of a Houston skyscraper, natural gasprices dove then rebounded Monday as traders digested fresh weatherforecasts.

The northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin transportationmarkets, which have long been dominated by ANR Pipeline, moved onestep closer to obtaining pipeline-on-pipeline competition last weekwhen FERC awarded the proposed Guardian Pipeline LLC a favorablepreliminary determination on non-environmental issues.

The northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin gastransportation markets, which long have been dominated by ANRPipeline, moved one step closer to obtaining pipeline-on-pipelinecompetition yesterday when FERC awarded the proposed GuardianPipeline LLC a favorable preliminary determination onnon-environmental issues.

Petrobank Energy and Resources gave the board of directors ofRanger Oil an ultimatum yesterday: Give full access to Ranger’sconfidential data room under Petrobank’s terms no later than 5 p.m.(MDT) on Thursday, or Petrobank will not amend or extend its offer toacquire all of the common shares of Ranger. (see Daily GPI, June 9) This would mean Petrobank’sexisting offer would run out next Monday, at 9 a.m. Calgary time.