Governor

Less than a week after California’s governor plucked David Freeman to head the state’s stepped up, $850 million energy conservation program, the nation’s largest municipal utility in Los Angeles turned to a consultant and former head of a Texas private sector utility to replace Freeman as its general manager. Texan-turned-California-based consultant, David Wiggs Jr. will oversee the $3 billion LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for five months, beginning May 1. During that time it is expected that the incoming new LA mayor will launch a nationwide search for a permanent replacement for Freeman, who has attained near-star status at LADWP and in other roles helping Gov. Gray Davis wrestle with the ongoing crisis among investor-owned utilities in the state. A utility regulatory lawyer with a finance background, Wiggs served as chairman, COO and president of El Paso Electric Co., leading the utility’s turnaround in the early 1990s. Since 1997, he has been a consultant, at DHW Consulting of Newport Beach, CA,working briefly with DWP in the spring of 1997 before Freeman was brought on board. He recently served as chief energy adviser to the speaker of the state legislature’s Assembly.

In separate actions last Wednesday, California’s governor and state officials gave a thumbs-up to two new power projects by San Jose, CA-based Calpine Corp. as the hyperactive merchant generator announced it assumed the development rights for another new plant in the state of Washington where construction will start almost immediately.

In separate actions Wednesday, California’s governor and state officials gave a thumbs-up to two new power projects by San Jose, CA-based Calpine Corp. as the hyperactive merchant generator announced it assumed the development rights for another new plant in the state of Washington where construction will start almost immediately.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Tony Garza warned the statelegislature and governor yesterday of an expected 55% increase innatural gas prices this winter for small customers and the expectedcontinuation of high prices for the next year to 18 months.

Governors from across the United States are expected to convene in Columbus, OH, Sept. 20 at a summit to discuss the high natural gas prices and supply challenges facing consumers this winter. The meeting will also address long-term state and federal gas policy, such as human resource needs in the domestic petroleum industry, tax incentives and access to public lands for gas drilling.

Governors from across the United States are expected to convenein Columbus, OH, Sept. 20 at a summit to discuss the high naturalgas prices and supply challenges facing consumers this winter. Themeeting will also address long-term state and federal gas policy,such as human resource needs in the domestic petroleum industry,tax incentives and access to public lands for gas drilling.

Exercising a new prerogative created by a state law passed lastyear, California Gov. Gray Davis last week named one of his closeadvisers and newest regulators, attorney Loretta Lynch, to bepresident of the five-member California Public UtilitiesCommission, which oversees the restructuring of the energyindustries, along with telecommunications, water, trucking andpublic transportation.

Exercising a new prerogative created by a state law passed lastyear, California Gov. Gray Davis this week named one of his closeadvisers and newest regulators, attorney Loretta Lynch, to bepresident of the five-member California Public UtilitiesCommission, which oversees the restructuring of the energyindustries, along with telecommunications, water, trucking andpublic transportation.

After Alaska’s governor balked at a move by BP Amoco to pushconsideration of its ARCO acquisition through the Federal TradeCommission, the company has backed off and pledged to address thestate’s anti-competitive concerns. Discussions between the companyand Alaska were ongoing last week.