Keeping

In keeping with FERC’s recent policy statement on capacitypricing, Viking Gas Transmission has become the first pipeline toseek authority to charge higher incremental rates for previouslylower-priced capacity that becomes available on its system.

California Gov. Gray Davis has signed a bill severely limitingthe future of retail gas unbundling in the state, keeping it on aseparate, more restricted track than electricity. AB 1421 replacesa one-year ban on further gas unbundling passed last year by thestate legislature. The measure was strongly backed byinvestor-owned utilities and utility unions.

California Gov. Gray Davis has signed a bill severely limitingthe future of retail gas unbundling in the state, keeping it on aseparate, more restricted track than electricity. AB 1421 replacesa one-year ban on further gas unbundling passed last year by thestate legislature. The measure was strongly backed byinvestor-owned utilities and utility unions (see Daily GPI, Sept.13).

Gas buyers certainly had no complaints about “storm hype”keeping prices artificially high Tuesday. Even with one of the mostdangerous hurricanes of the century pounding the Bahamas andbearing down on the southeastern U.S., its relative lack of threatto Gulf of Mexico production did nothing to avert cash price dropsof a dime or more-sometimes much more-in nearly every market. Onlythe Northern California points (Malin and PG&E citygate)managed to keep their declines in single digits, and even they fellalmost a dime.

In the wake of last year’s oil bust, energy industry lenders arestill keeping a tighter grip on their money. However indicationsare some banks and investors are starting again to look for placesto put capital in the energy patch.

In the wake of last year’s oil bust, energy industry lenders arestill keeping a tighter grip on their money. However indicationsare banks and others are looking for places to put capital in theenergy patch.

Replacement of its A-Line north of Stanfield, OR, is keepingKingsgate capacity of PG&E GT-NW limited to 2,250 MMcf/d-370MMcf/d under the April norm-through Friday. Hydrostatic testing ofthe line at Station 6-A will further limit Kinggate to 2,190 MMcf/dApril 19-22.