Integrated

The California Energy Commission (CEC) last Thursday unanimously approved its 2009 Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR), recommending a fresh mix of strategies for lowering the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along with maintaining reliable, efficient and affordable energy supplies. The focus continued to be on reliability and renewable resources in this latest annual update of the report that goes to the governor and legislature.

Privately held Puget Sound Energy (PSE) filed a revised integrated resource plan (IRP) with Washington state regulators Thursday, calling for up to a 30% increase in its energy efficiency goals, along with stepped-up development of renewable resources and natural gas-fired generation. The 2009 IRP, filed with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, covers a 20-year horizon in assessing the utility’s resource needs.

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff attempted to smooth the waters surrounding his recent prediction of an upgraded electric grid, bolstered by fully integrated renewables but with few, if any, new coal or nuclear generators, in Washington, DC, last week.

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff’s recent prediction of an upgraded power grid, bolstered by fully integrated renewables but with few, if any, new coal or nuclear generators — and a major role for natural gas — continues to be challenged, this time by Reps. Joe Barton (R-TX) and Greg Walden (R-OR).

The next 20 years should see the development of an upgraded electric grid, bolstered by fully integrated renewables and electric appliances providing regulation service with few, if any, new nuclear or coal generators — and a major role for natural gas, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said Wednesday.

The next 20 years should see the development of an upgraded electric grid, bolstered by fully integrated renewables and electric appliances providing regulation service with few, if any, new nuclear or coal generators — and a major role for natural gas, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff said Wednesday.

Integrated commodity risk management firm FCStone Group Inc. has became the latest firm to get caught on the wrong side of a natural gas deal as the company said it expects to incur an additional $60 million to $80 million pre-tax bad debt provision for 2Q2009 in connection with previously reported losses by “a significant energy trading account,” for which FCStone serves as the clearing firm.

Integrated commodity risk management firm FCStone Group Inc. this week became the latest firm to get caught on the wrong side of a natural gas deal as the company said it expects to incur an additional $60 million to $80 million pre-tax bad debt provision for 2Q2009 in connection with previously reported losses by “a significant energy trading account,” for which FCStone serves as the clearing firm.

Peak-day shortfalls on two of its pipeline laterals could occur in 2011 and 2012, given current supply-demand analyses in an integrated resource plan (IRP) filed with Idaho regulators by Intermountain Gas. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) said Monday it will take comments on the utility’s IRP through Sept. 4.