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The new merchant gas and power companies, getting battered in the public arena as they move into new operating areas across the country, are going to have to heavy-up their public relations operations to ward off reactive laws and regulations restricting the competitive market.

PECO Energy, a subsidiary of Exelon Corp., plans to invest more than $200 million in capital projects in both its electric and gas systems this year in what the company said was a “strategic investment” to ensure service reliability for customers.

The new merchant gas and power companies, getting battered in the public arena as they move into new operating areas across the country, are going to have to heavy-up their public relations operations to ward off reactive laws and regulations restricting the competitive market.

Far from satisfied with the relatively meager returns in the gas pipeline business, TransCanada PipeLines CEO Hal Kvisle said his company plans to spend about $10 billion over the next five years on power generation projects.

Far from satisfied with the relatively meager returns in the gas pipeline business, TransCanada PipeLines CEO Hal Kvisle said his company plans to spend about $10 billion over the next five years on power generation projects.

The Ottawa government needs to invest at least C$100 million in the Arctic to jump start economic development there, according to a report released last week by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Aside from additional investments in infrastructure or the proposed natural gas pipeline, the report noted money is needed now to improve the regulatory and investment climate in the region.

The Ottawa government needs to invest at least C$100 million in the Arctic to jump start economic development there, according to a report released Monday by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Aside from additional investments in infrastructure or the proposed natural gas pipeline, the report noted money is needed now to improve the regulatory and investment climate in the region.

DukeSolutions is hauling in eight independent power facilitiesfor $81 million from Houston-based Waste Management Inc., and hasplans to invest another $20 million into the cogeneration andrenewable energy facilities in California, Pennsylvania, Maine andFlorida. Together, the facilities generate 244 MW and revenues overthe next 15 years could exceed $1 billion.

The proliferation of energy trading Internet sites continuedlast week with Dynegy and Williams teaming up to invest $25 millioneach for a minority equity stake in eSpeed Inc., an interactiveelectronic marketplace engine for business-to-business (B2B)e-commerce. It’s another sign the energy industry’s migration toe-commerce is speeding toward an eventual shake-out. Right now,players are beginning to place their bets on who the winners maybe.