Launched

BGE shareholders approved the formation of holding companyConstellation Energy Group Inc. Constellation Energy is now set tobe launched May 3, trading under the CEG ticker symbol on the NewYork Stock Exchange. Constellation Energy will be the parentcompany that holds BGE’s common stock and the common stock of allof BGE’s current subsidiaries. BGE will become a sibling to itscurrent subsidiaries and will remain regulated by the MarylandPublic Service Commission.

The last of three pilot deregulation programs in Michigan is being launched this month with Michigan Consolidated Gas allowing 75,000 of its customers to sign up to test offers from other gas marketers; and Consumers Energy can’t wait. Consumers announced an aggressive promotional campaign last week with the intent to grab as much of its neighboring LDC’s market as possible. It’s campaign was scheduled to start Jan. 2 with a sponsored Harlem Globetrotters game.

Arthur Andersen launched the KnowledgeSpace Energy Community, arevised and enhanced premium community developed for the energyindustry. By supplementing oil and gas content with information andresources specifically for the utility industry, the EnergyCommunity replaces the Oil & Gas Community in KnowledgeSpace,Arthur Andersen’s gateway to online business information, tools andresources.

The alliance of Public Service Co. of Colorado (PSCo) andColorado Interstate Gas (CIG) have launched the operation of their53-mile, $25 million Front Range Pipeline stretching from theWyoming border south to Platteville, CO, and effectively haltingdevelopment of a competing 109-mile Front Runner Pipeline, proposedby Denver-based KN Energy.

Prosper Business Development Corp., along with Energy.com Corp.,has launched the energy industry’s first cooperative marketingcampaign aimed at eliminating the confusion about gas retail choiceat the small commercial and residential level, and at making itaffordable for gas marketing companies to target these two customerclasses.

A week after rival QuickTrade launched its new electronic powertrading system, Altra Energy Technologies followed suit withStreamlineT for Power, a real-time trading system for wholesaleelectricity. The two systems arrived on the market during atumultuous period, in which skyrocketing power prices forcedseveral marketers to default and many others to suffer bigfinancial losses. Altra said its system should provide users acertain amount of protection in the unpredictable and oftenvolatile power market.

PECO Energy launched a new energy services and retail energymarketing company, called Exelon Energy, which will combine thediverse operations of Horizon Energy, PECO Energy/Energy One andPECO Energy/Horizon Group.