Increasing

After three consecutive days of increasing prices, the next fivenatural gas futures contract months on the New York MercantileExchange each dumped 5-6 cents yesterday, showing a little weaknessand slightly less volatility than average over the past coupleweeks. The downticks illustrate the continued uncertainty regardingthe long-term direction of the market.

Citing “increasing soil and ambient temperature” that requires adecrease in its target linepack, NOVA is offering to sell up to190,000 gigajoules to customers. The pipeline will accept purchasetenders tied to a Canadian index through 1 p.m. MDT Thursday. Thegas will be sold through inventory transfers in approximately evenincrements over a period of up to 14 days starting around May 15,NOVA said. Call Jeff Stoffregen at (403) 541-4726 or Donna Taillonat -4802 for more information.

Florida Power & Light Co. says it will meet future customergrowth in this decade by increasing the electricity generatingcapability of its system by 24% using environmentally friendlynatural-gas technology.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could go a long waytoward increasing liquidity in the pipeline transportation marketby combining capacity release and pipeline interruptibletransportation under one set of rules, according to the head of thelargest electronic gas and power trading system.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could go a long waytoward increasing liquidity in the pipeline transportation marketby combining capacity release and pipeline interruptibletransportation under one set of rules, according to the head of thelargest electronic gas and power trading system.

Improving crude oil market conditions usually are accompanied byincreasing political scrutiny into rising prices. A good example ofthat is occurring in California where Attorney General Bill Lockyerhas vowed to probe deeply into the mergers of major oil and gasproducers following a report that shows consolidation is one of thereasons California has experienced some of the highest gasolineprice spikes in the nation.

American businesses-from financial institutions andsophisticated manufacturing plants to established farms-areincreasingly interested generating their own electricity onlocation, according to a national survey. Some of these businessesplan to upgrade currently installed back-up generation equipmentwithin the next 12 months, according to the study. These companies,together with businesses seeking increased control of operations,lower costs, or fewer power disruptions, add up to a viablestart-up market for on-site power plants, the survey said.

Reliant Energy Gas Transmission has filed the first-everpipeline transportation proposal for an hourly service and rates tomeet the increasing swing load and peaking needs of the powergeneration industry.

Significantly increasing its presence in the Northeast, SempraEnergy’s marketing arm, Sempra Energy Trading, agreed Thursday tomanage the supply and delivery of gas to serve Southern ConnecticutGas Co.’s 158,000 customers. Terms of the one-year agreement werenot disclosed. Sempra will begin April 1.