Kinder

Kinder Morgan signed an agreement to purchase Citizens Communications’ natural gas division in Colorado for $11 million. The transaction, which must be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, will add more than 13,000 primarily residential, commercial and agricultural customers to KMI’s retail natural gas division. KMI currently serves 225,000 customers in Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming, about 55,000 of which are located in Colorado. “This is a natural extension of our Colorado operations, as we have extensive experience serving small and rural communities, said Dan Watson, president of KMI’s retail natural gas division. “We look forward to adding these new customers to our service portfolio.” The asset purchase consists primarily of regulated gas distribution systems. In Colorado, Citizens’ serves 10,600 customers in Bent, Crowley, and Otero Counties, plus another 2,800 customers in Archuleta, La Plata, and Mineral Counties.

Later this month, a Nebraska district court will hear arguments from Kinder Morgan subsidiary KN Energy, which has charged several municipalities in the western part of the state with attempting to regulate the gas company’s rates by requiring it to pay into a state loan fund, and when it refused to pay the charge, enacting ordinances to not allow a surcharge on gas purchases.

Later this month, a Nebraska district court will hear argumentsfrom Kinder Morgan subsidiary KN Energy, which has charged severalmunicipalities in the western part of the state with attempting toregulate the gas company’s rates by requiring it to pay into astate loan fund, and when it refused to pay the charge, enactingordinances to not allow a surcharge on gas purchases.

MRT is lifting today a System Protection Warning that had beenimplemented Tuesday (see Daily GPI, Dec. 12).

A revised auction process for firm capacity, described as moremarket responsive, on Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Companyof America won approval from the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission last week (RP97-431-009).

A revised auction process for firm capacity, described as moremarket responsive, on Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Companyof America won approval from the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission yesterday (RP97-431-009).

Kinder Morgan Interstate will begin maintenance today on twounits at the Casper (WY) Compressor Station. For today’s gas dayonly Casper capacity will be reduced by 120,000 MMBtu/d, which KMIanticipates will impact upstream receipts Segments 10, 30, 40, 43,710 and 720, including both rich and lean supplies. StartingWednesday only one of the two units will be out of service at atime through Sept. 29. During this period Casper capacity will bereduced by 36,000 MMBtu/d, affecting the same segments as describedabove. Depending on nomination levels, IT/AOR, secondary and someprimary volumes risk not being scheduled. Deliveries to theNGC/KMIGT Casper Natrona and WBI/KMIGT Lost Cabin Bridger pointswill help alleviate the situation, KMI said.

Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission (KMI) has attempted anend run around FERC’s Order 637, filing wide-ranging operationaland rate changes early under expedited tariff procedures to avoidthe more rigorous review in store for compliance filings, accordingto customer protests.