Investigate

In the first-ever probe of a company’s online trading system or its derivatives trading practices, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched a full investigation into Enron Corp.’s commodities activities, centering on whether the former trading giant committed fraud or manipulated markets through improper trading on commodity exchanges. An Enron spokesman said the company would cooperate with the inquiry.

In the first-ever probe of a company’s online trading system or its derivatives trading practices, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched a full investigation into Enron Corp.’s commodities activities, centering on whether the former trading giant committed fraud or manipulated markets through improper trading on commodity exchanges. An Enron spokesman said the company would cooperate with the inquiry.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has asked the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs to investigate the possibility of an improper relationship between the energy industry and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission based on an exchange between FERC Chairman Curtis Hebert and Enron Chairman Ken Lay as reported recently in The New York Times.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has asked the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs to investigate the possibility of an improper relationship between the energy industry and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission based on an exchange between FERC Chairman Curtis Hebert and Enron Chairman Ken Lay as reported in The New York Times.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Jean Carnahan (D-MO) have called on the General Accounting Office (GAO) to investigate whether FERC is carrying out its duty to ensure “reasonable” rates for the sale of wholesale power and the transportation of natural gas in the ailing California energy market.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Jean Carnahan (D-MO) have called on the General Accounting Office (GAO) to investigate whether FERC is carrying out its duty to ensure “reasonable” rates for the sale of wholesale power and the transportation of natural gas in the ailing California energy market.

Prodded by Gov. George H. Ryan, the Illinois Commerce Commission(ICC) yesterday voted unanimously to open a Notice of Inquiry (NOI)to investigate the high natural gas prices in the state.

With the growing inadequacies in both natural gas andelectricity delivery systems that emerged as part of the summer’swholesale electricity market problems, California regulatorsThursday ordered separate statewide investigations of bothinfrastructures with an emphasis on the gas side in Sempra Energy’sterritory in the southern end of the state.

Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed into law a bill requiring the state’sPublic Utilities Commission to investigate any hostile takeover biddirected at an Ohio gas utility at the time the bidder’s tenderoffer is made.