Institute

The U.S. power industry saw several senior executive appointments recently, including a new chairman at Palo Alto, CA-based Electric Power Research Institute, which tapped Edison International CEO Ted Craver to head its board. In the public power sector, the Nebraska Public Power District named Pat Pope CEO. In the Pacific Northwest, Portland General Electric named Bill Nicholson senior vice president for customer service, transmission and distribution. Nicholson replaces Steve Hawke, who is retiring in July after 38 years with the utility.

Joseph Martens has been confirmed as commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Martens, a former president of the Open Space Institute, has been acting commissioner of the DEC since his appointment on Jan. 4 by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He was unanimously confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate. The DEC is working to meet a July 1 deadline to prepare a supplemental generic environmental impact statement on hydraulic fracturing (see NGI, Dec. 20, 2010; July 28, 2008). Martens replaces Alexander “Pete” Grannis as DEC commissioner. Grannis was fired by Paterson last October for allegedly leaking internal memos to the media that were critical of staff cuts — cuts that Grannis argued would impede DEC’s effectiveness in overseeing gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale (see NGI, Nov. 29, 2010).

Natural gas has gotten a ringing endorsement from an unusual source. In a policy address at the American Enterprise Institute, John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon, operator of the largest fleet of nuclear power plants, urged lawmakers to “do nothing” and let the markets dictate and the nation rely on “a clean, competitive and inexpensive windfall,” natural gas.

Joseph Martens was confirmed as commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Tuesday.

Natural gas has gotten a ringing endorsement from an unusual source. In a policy address at the American Enterprise Institute, John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon, operator of the largest fleet of nuclear power plants, urged lawmakers to “do nothing” and let the markets dictate and the nation rely on “a clean, competitive and inexpensive windfall,” natural gas.

Natural gas is the key to a “smart energy” future and should be included in plans and funding programs for a future smart grid, according to a white paper released by the Gas Technology Institute Thursday.

The Keystone Energy Forum (KEF), an alliance of the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA), was rolled out recently to disseminate “factual” information about Marcellus Shale drilling activities in Pennsylvania.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has allied with the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) in a partnership to serve as a forum for information about the Marcellus Shale.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has allied with the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA) in a partnership to serve as a forum for information about the Marcellus Shale.