Governing

John Geesman, 51, a lawyer who previously served on the California Independent System Operator’s governing board, was named Thursday to an open seat on the California Energy Commission, which sites power plants and oversees energy resource planning and conservation programs. Gov. Gray Davis made the announcement, noting that this fills out the five-member commission that is based in Sacramento. It is the same agency that Geesman once headed as executive director.

Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc., a power marketer, is seekingan emergency cease and desist order directing the California ISO’sgoverning board to overturn its decision reducing the power pricecap to $500/MWh and to restore the temporary $750 cap. It furtherasked FERC to stay the ISO’s price-cap authority, and to strip itentirely of that power when an existing resolution expires inOctober.

Regulations governing the construction of natural gas pipelinefacilities took center stage at FERC yesterday, with the Commissionputting a package of proposals on the table aimed at streamliningand expediting the certification process for new projects. It seeksto do this while at the same time getting affected landowners moreinvolved in the process.