Issue

Federal Regulators Issue NOPR on Electronic Filing of Tariffs

FERC on Wednesday proposed requiring all tariff filings by public utility, natural gas and oil pipeline companies to be in an electronic format. Paper filings would no longer be required.

July 8, 2004

CPUC Signals Decision on Court Appeal of LNG Jurisdiction Issue May Be Imminent

California regulators may announce by the end of the week whether they plan to appeal FERC’s decision asserting “exclusive jurisdiction” over Sound Energy Solution’s planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal for the Port of Long Beach, CA, an attorney for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said Tuesday.

July 7, 2004

WGL Takes Issue with Moody’s Downgrade

WGL Holdings objected last Tuesday to a downgrade of its commercial paper rating to Not Prime from Prime-3 by Moody’s Investors Service, stating that the rating agency’s decision lacked sufficient explanation.

July 5, 2004

California Attorney General Sues Enron, Asks for FERC Rehearing on Refund Issue

Promising continued legal actions and citing a “shocking disregard for public welfare,” California Attorney General Bill Lockyer last week filed a civil lawsuit in an East San Francisco Bay state Superior Court against Houston-based Enron Corp., alleging unfair business practices and violations of the state’s commodity law. The state court filing came three days after his office asked FERC to reconsider a refund order directed at the state last month.

June 21, 2004

Transportation Note

Southern California Gas declared a high-linepack OFO for Saturday. Its utility neighbor to the north, Pacific Gas & Electric, did not issue an OFO despite projecting that linepack would bump up against its maximum target levels Sunday and Monday.

March 15, 2004

Transportation Notes

Forecasts of cold weather in the northern half of Florida Friday night and Saturday morning prompted Florida Gas Transmission to issue an Overage Alert Day notice for its market area Friday. The notice had 20% tolerance for negative daily imbalances.

March 1, 2004

NEB to Take Up Westcoast Energy’s 2004 Mainline Tolls Issue in May

The National Energy Board said it will hold a public hearing on an application from Westcoast Energy Inc., carrying on business as Duke Energy Gas Transmission, for approval of final tolls for mainline transmission service in Zones 3 and 4 for the period spanning from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

January 27, 2004

Defense Clears Permit to Expand Sierra Production Crossing Facilities

The Department of Defense has given the green light for FERC to issue an amended presidential permit to Sierra Production Co. to double the capacity of its border-crossing facilities at the Montana-Canadian line.

January 14, 2004

Unresolved Allocation Issue Lingers in CA Court Approval of $1.6B El Paso Settlement

California’s large industrial customers are fighting over El Paso’s $1.6 billion settlement payment, which was approved earlier this month by a California Superior Court in San Diego. The state attoney general’s office confirmed that it is the largest antitrust class action settlement in the state’s history.

December 15, 2003

Unresolved Allocation Issue Lingers in CA Court Approval of $1.6B El Paso Settlement

Among the California large industrial parties there is still a bit of disagreement over the eventual allocations of the monies even as last Friday a California Superior Court in San Diego approved the $1.6 billion settlement between El Paso Corp. and four western states, including California. The state court phase of the settlement approval process drew one vocal objection from the California League of Food Processors (CLFP).

December 10, 2003