Joining

Much of the North American market seemed to be joining theCanadians in still being on holiday Tuesday. In very subduedactivity scattered points (mostly in the California/PacificNorthwest region) registered upticks, but most ranged from mildlysofter to down as much as about $3.50 at the Chicago citygate.

Joining in the feeding frenzy that has become California’selectricity rate debate, a San Diego-based utility consumer groupand four law firms last week filed (Nov. 29) in Superior Court inSan Diego a class action lawsuit against 13 major generators,marketers and energy trading companies, the veritable “who’s who”of the state’s electricity market.

Joining in the feeding frenzy that has become California’selectricity rate debate, a San Diego-based utility consumer groupand four law firms last week filed a class action lawsuit against13 major generators, marketers and energy trading companies,charging them with price fixing and market manipulation.

Joining the rather large list of third quarter 2000 earningssuccess stories, Williams reported net income that was more thanquadruple the figure for the same period last year. Its profitsrose to $121.1 million ($0.27 per share) from $28.1 million ($0.06per share).

Joining the list of third quarter 2000 earnings success stories,Williams reported its third quarter net income more than quadrupledover last year’s figure for the same time period, from $28.1million ($0.06 per share) to $121.1 million ($0.27 per share). Thecompany attributed the growth to its fourth successive quarter ofyear-over-year earnings improvement within its energy businesses.

Halliburton announced that Dick Cheney has resumed the role ofchairman and will also continue in his current position as CEO.Joining Halliburton in 1995 as CEO, Cheney served as chairman andCEO from 1996 until the merger between Halliburton and DresserIndustries in September 1998. Cheney will succeed William Bradfordas chairman. Bradford will retire at the end of January after threedecades of dedicated service to Dresser Industries and mostrecently Halliburton.

Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier last week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.

Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier this week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.

Even with continuing mild weather and an indifferent screen, theEast joined the West in a united front of rising prices Wednesday.Gains were fairly uniform across the board, ranging from about anickel to a dime. CIG, which had been lagging considerably behindother Rockies pipes Tuesday, was playing catch-up Wednesday with anincrease of a little more than a dime after an eastward-moving coldfront blanketed much of the state of Colorado in snow.