Legislators

California legislators have bowed to industry pressure andextended the state’s ban on natural gas unbundling for residentialand small business customers. The new law (AB 1421) passed in alate-night session in the waning days of the current legislaturewill maintain the utilities’ role as the almost exclusive providerfor small customers.

California legislators have bowed to industry pressure andextended the state’s ban on natural gas unbundling for residentialand small business customers. The new legislation (AB 1421) waspassed in a late night session in the waning days of the currentlegislative session and will maintain the utilities’ role as thealmost exclusive provider for small customers.

Working into the early hours of Thursday morning, the Pennsylvania General Assembly finally pushed through a statewide gas restructuring bill in the last session before breaking for summer vacation. Under the Natural Gas Choice and Competition Act, gas will become a price-deregulated commodity for residential and small commercial customers in Pennsylvania on Nov. 1. Gov. Tom Ridge, who has already voiced his support for the bill, has 10 days to sign it into law.

Working into the early hours of Thursday morning, thePennsylvania General Assembly finally pushed through a statewidegas restructuring bill in the last session before the assemblybroke for summer vacation. Under the Natural Gas Choice andCompetition Act, gas will become a price-deregulated commodity forresidential and small commercial customers on Nov. 1. Governor TomRidge, who has already voiced his support for the bill, has 10 daysto sign it into law.

In an effort to attract large businesses to their districts, twoOregon state legislators introduced a bill recently that wouldprovide $20 million in lottery funds to help build a 64-milepipeline. No engineering study for the pipeline has been conductedso far. The bill’s main supporters, state Sen. Veral Tarno(R-Coquille) and Rep. Ken Messerle (R-Coos County), said some ofthe funds also could be used to build a high-voltage power line.

If legislators and energy regulators aren’t careful, theelectricity industry could end up as a deregulated monopoly ratherthan one that offers customers real choice, representatives of keyelectricity trade groups warned last week.

The Clinton Administration’s electric restructuring proposalreleased this week faced immediate praise and vilification bylobbyists and legislators. “I appreciate the apparent progress onthe Administration taking a position,” said Sen. Frank H. Murkowski(R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and NaturalResources. “But the devil’s in the details-and we don’t yet havethe details since DOE has yet to provide Congress with its specificlegislative proposal.” When that is provided “we can begin holdinghearings on their measure and the other bills before the EnergyCommittee,” he added