Imbalances

Pacific Gas and Electric is keeping a systemwide Stage 2 low-inventory OFO in effect through at least Friday but said the tolerance on negative daily imbalances will be loosened from 5% to 16%.

Due to continuing high linepack in all segments, Westcoast has implemented a systemwide OFO setting the tolerance for positive daily imbalances at the minimum of 10% or 500 GJ.

With North America girding once more to do battle with bone-chilling temperatures and plenty of icy precipitation, higher prices came as a surprise for no one Friday. Multi-dollar leaps reigned again in the Northeast, while the rest of the market saw gains ranging from about a nickel to nearly 30 cents. The smallest increases were concentrated in the Midcontinent and Rockies areas.

Southern said a Type 6 OFO for short imbalances that was implemented Sunday will remain in effect through Wednesday but is unlikely to be extended into Thursday.

Saying it had limited operational flexibility to manage imbalances and due to expected colder temperatures in its Northeast market area, Tennessee issued an Imbalance Warning in Zones 5 and 6 to take effect Monday. See the bulletin board for details on Imbalance Warning conditions. Tennessee also said Thursday it was lifting a force majeure on Line 527A-800 due to the sale of a damaged line section. “However, physical flow at…West Delta Block 109 will remain shut in until the purchasing party repairs the line” to Tennessee specifications, the pipeline said.

Pacific Gas and Electric issued a systemwide Stage 2 high-inventory OFO for Friday, setting penalties of $1/Dth for exceeding a 7% tolerance on positive daily imbalances.

Tennessee said Wednesday it was lifting a systemwide OFO Action Alert against positive imbalances.

Tennessee lifted Sunday a systemwide OFO Action Alert that it had implemented Saturday to control positive imbalances.

Pacific Gas and Electric issued a new Stage 2 high-inventory OFO on its California Gas Transmission system for Thursday, setting the tolerance at 5% for daily positive imbalances.