Joint

Silicon Valley met the energy crisis and backed off, clearing the way for Calpine Corp. and joint-venture partner, Bechtel, to develop a $400 million, 600 MW, natural gas-fired power plant, the Metcalf Energy Center, at the southern-most end of San Jose, CA. If all goes well, Calpine will begin construction this year and have the power plant running by summer 2003.

Silicon Valley met the energy crisis and backed off, clearing the way for Calpine Corp. and joint-venture partner, Bechtel, to develop a $400 Million, 600 MW, natural gas-fired power plant, the Metcalf Energy Center, at the southern-most end of San Jose, CA. If all goes well, Calpine will begin construction this year and have the power plant running by summer 2003.

Fluor Corporation and Duke Energy Corp. named Jeff Faulk president and CEO of Duke/Fluor Daniel, a joint venture of the two companies that provides global engineering, construction and operating services to fossil-fueled power generating facilities. Faulk comes to the partnership from Fluor Daniel, where he most recently served as senior vice president, operations for the Americas, within the energy & chemicals strategic business unit. Harvey Padewer, group president of Energy Services for Duke Energy, said the partnership is poised to emerge as the clear leader in fossil-fueled power generation under Faulk’s leadership. “Last year, Duke/Fluor Daniel was building one out of every 3 MW of natural gas-fired generation under construction in the U.S.,” Padewer said. “The industry is beginning to take serious notice of this partnership and its global project portfolio — that includes everything from combined cycle plants to innovative clean- burning coal technology.”

Duke/Fluor Daniel, a joint venture between Duke Energy and Fluor Corp,. yesterday disclosed that it has been awarded contracts by Duke Energy North America (DENA) to perform engineering, procurement and construction services for four natural gas-fired, combined cycle power generation facilities with a combined capacity of 3,050 MW.

ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) and six New England powertransmission companies filed today a joint petition yesterday withFERC for a declaratory order to form the New England RegionalTransmission Organization (NERTO). Under the plan, which was inresponse FERC Order 2000, ISO-NE, Bangor Hydro-Electric, CentralMaine Power, National Grid USA, Northeast Utilities, The UnitedIlluminating Company, and Vermont Electric Power propose a RegionalTransmission Organization (RTO) consisting of two entities workingin concert: (1) a new independent transmission company, NortheastIndependent Transmission Company, LLC (NE ITC); and (2) anindependent system operator (ISO). Like ISO-NE, the NE ITC will besubject to FERC regulations. Under the plan, ISO-NE will be thesystem operator for the New England control area, administer thewholesale markets in the region, and provide most ancillaryservices through its tariff. ISO-NE has proposed that the NewEngland Power Pool (NEPOOL) have a continuing role, albeitmodified, in the development and modification of the rules for theNew England markets and with respect to related agreements, andthat immediate steps be taken to increase conformance of the NewEngland and New York markets.

Gross production from the largest Powder River Basin coalbed methane operators, joint partners Western Gas Resources Inc. and Barrett Resources, hit a year-end target of 200 MMcf/d in mid-December, then exceeded that goal by producing 206 MMcf/d in the last two weeks of the year. Now the producers are crossing their fingers that pending permits to further ramp up production gain approval by Wyoming regulators.

Gross production from the largest Powder River Basin coalbedmethane operators, joint partners Western Gas Resources Inc. andBarrett Resources, hit their year-end target of 200 MMcf/d inmid-December, then exceeded that goal by producing 206 MMcf/d inthe last two weeks of the year. Now the producers are crossingtheir fingers that pending permits to further ramp up productiongain approval by Wyoming regulators.

The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) Wednesdaybegan some joint inspections of off-line power plants as it facedthe possibility of declaring a Stage Three alert. Officials had notdeclared the alert as of press time.

With Bighorn Gas Gathering LLC turning a year old this month,the joint-venture which consists of CMS Energy affiliates andNorthern Border Partners L.P. continues to sign up new customersfor its Powder River Basin natural gas gathering system, upping itstotal number of producers to six with the newly announced additionof Prima Oil and Gas, a subsidiary of Prima Energy.