Legislation

Plans by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to mark up emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets were delayed last week after last-minute negotiations broke down between Democrats and Republicans over the measure. Members from both sides of the aisle on Friday said that they would continue to try and hammer out a bipartisan solution over the Congressional recess that starts this week.

Plans by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to mark up emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets were delayed yesterday after last-minute negotiations broke out between Democrats and Republicans over the measure.

Emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets could get consideration by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee this week, a Capitol Hill staffer told NGI last week.

Emergency legislation designed to provide relief to the troubled California wholesale energy markets could get consideration by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee as early as next week, a Capitol Hill staffer told NGI yesterday.

Legislation to create a Montana power authority that would be allowed to, among other things, acquire electrical generation facilities, recently cleared the Montana legislature. A state lawmaker who sponsored the measure expressed confidence the bill (HB 474) would be signed into law by the governor no later than May 10.

Legislation to create a Montana power authority that would be allowed to, among other things, acquire electrical generation facilities, recently cleared the Montana legislature. A state lawmaker who sponsored the measure expressed confidence the HB 474 would be signed into law by the governor no later than May 10.

A proposed new law to implement sections of the governor’s agreement (MOU) with Southern California Edison Co. will be offered later this week in the ongoing special session of the state legislature, Edison senior vice president Bob Foster said Tuesday in a regular conference call with utility bondholders. Foster characterized the state lawmakers’ attitude as “cautious,” but noted there is “no outright rejection” of the Edison MOU, which requires a state law to authorize California to buy the utility’s transmission assets and assign a portion of its rates to pay for state-backed bonds.

Legislation that could give Texas electric customers substantialrefunds because of “unintended windfall” profits made through thecoming deregulation of the state’s utilities is making its waythrough the Texas House. Under the current law, large utilities maykeep earnings made through 2004 to offset the costs of investing innuclear power plants.

Legislation that could give Texas electric customers substantialrefunds because of “unintended windfall” profits made through thecoming deregulation of the state’s utilities is making its waythrough the Texas House. Under the current law, large utilities maykeep earnings made through 2004 to offset the costs of investing innuclear power plants.