Investigation

City officials in Hutchinson, KS continue their investigationafter a suspected leaking natural gas storage cavern caused twoexplosions in mid-January, leveling businesses and killing one manand injuring his wife.

City officials in Hutchinson, KS have moved into an”investigation and recovery stage” after a suspected leakingnatural gas storage cavern caused two explosions last week,leveling businesses and killing one man and injuring his wife. Thecavern was sealed Monday and now experts are trying to determinehow to vent a huge gas bubble still spewing through geysers allover town.

New York Assemblyman Robin L. Schimminger is trying to convincethe state to open an investigation into the bankruptcy of IroquoisEnergy Management LLC, which left approximately 19,000 residentialnatural gas customers with an estimated $1.8 million out-of-pocketloss due to non-refunded pre-payments.

New York Assemblyman Robin L. Schimminger is trying to convincethe state to open an investigation into the bankruptcy of IroquoisEnergy Management LLC, which left approximately 19,000 residentialnatural gas customers with an estimated $1.8 million out-of-pocketloss due to non-refunded pre-payments.

Based on the results of its much-anticipated investigation, FERCyesterday found that the market rules and structure for wholesalesales of electricity in California are “seriously flawed,” and thatthey — along with the imbalance in supply and demand — havecaused and will continue to cause “unjust and unreasonable” ratesfor short-term services in markets operated by the CaliforniaIndependent System Operator (Cal-ISO) and California Power Exchange(Cal-PX).

FERC has given the green light for PG&E and Avista to moveforward on an investigation into the potential development of a newnatural gas storage facility in Eastern Washington near theStanfield Hub.

FERC has given the green light for PG&E and Avista to moveforward on an investigation into the potential development of a newnatural gas storage facility in Eastern Washington near theStanfield Hub.

Northwest Pipeline experienced a leak Tuesday afternoon on itsVancouver (WA) Lateral. There were no injuries. Preliminaryinvestigation indicates third-party damage, the pipeline said.Service was disrupted to direct industrial customer Vanalco and toindustrial customers of LDC Northwest Natural Gas in the area untilbeing restored at 11:24 p.m. PST Tuesday.

Northwest Pipeline’s preliminary investigation indicates thatland movement affecting about 500 feet of pipe was the cause of aline break Friday night near Stevenson, WA (see Daily GPI, March 1,2). Following industry practice, Northwest will send segments ofthe pipe for metallurgical testing to verify the rupture’s causeconclusively. A temporary 16-inch surface pipeline is beinginstalled to restore service to LDC Northwest Natural Gas in theNorth Bonneville, WA, area. Northwest Pipeline said it is workingwith geotechnical experts to plan permanent re-routing of theruptured 26-inch line outside the boundaries of the land movementarea.