Granted

Rapid City, SD-based Black Hills Corp. announced late last Friday that the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) granted rate increases to its Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power utility, authorizing hikes of $4.4 million and $6.7 million for natural gas and electric retail rates, respectively. The new rates are effective Jan. 1.

Retail charges were reduced for two of Oregon’s private-sector natural gas utilities Tuesday, while a third gas utility was granted an increase of less than 1% by the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC).

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) granted Tucson-based UniSource Energy Corp.’s UNS Gas a 3.6% rate decrease Wednesday for its customers in the northern half of the state. A 4-cent/therm credit will be available to customers beginning Oct. 1 and running through April 30 next year.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) granted early termination of the waiting period under antitrust law for Black Hills’ acquisition of Aquila’s electric generation and distribution properties in Colorado and its gas distribution properties in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. The FTC did the same for the proposed merger of Aquila’s Missouri-based electric utility with a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy Inc., the parent of Kansas City Power & Light.

Oregon regulators last Tuesday granted a consumer advocate’s request for deferred accounting treatment of an estimated $20 million in federal and state taxes collected in retail rates during the last three months of 2005 by Portland General Electric (PGE).

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has granted the state of Colorado more time to study and comment on the agency’s resource management plan (RMP) for the Roan Plateau, an area known for its spectacular scenery and abundant natural gas.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has granted the state of Colorado four months to study and comment on the agency’s resource management plan (RMP) for the Roan Plateau, located in the northwestern part of the state, an area known for its spectacular scenery and abundant natural gas.

FERC Thursday granted Dallas-based transporter Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP) an additional month to respond to a show-cause order, which accuses the company of manipulating the price of physical natural gas transactions.

FERC last Wednesday granted Rockies Express Pipeline LLC more time to complete work on Phase II of a 327-mile pipeline system that would tie in with the rest of the mammoth Rockies Express pipeline in northern Colorado. The proposed pipeline is owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, Sempra Pipelines & Storage and ConocoPhillips.