Friday represented the eye of the storm for Georgia’s gasindustry, as Atlanta Gas Light (AGL), the state’s largestdistributor, and Peachtree Natural Gas, the bankrupt supplier to177,000 gas customers, brokered an interim solution to theirproblems at a federal bankruptcy court hearing. The hearing was aresult of an earlier AGL filing with the bankruptcy court, seekingto distribute Peachtree’s customers to other, “more creditworthy”suppliers.
Limbo
Articles from Limbo
Georgia Marketer Bankruptcy Puts Customers in Limbo
Because of Peachtree Natural Gas’ filing for Chapter 11protection earlier this week, Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) filed amotion Wednesday with the federal bankruptcy court requesting all177,000 Peachtree customers be randomly assigned to more”creditworthy” suppliers, the LDC said yesterday. Peachtree, whichis the third largest marketer in the state, has assured the GeorgiaPublic Service Commission (GPSC) that gas service will continueundisturbed despite the filing, and is pinning its future inGeorgia on a potential suitor to bail it out of its monetarytroubles.
El Paso’s Bondad Project Hangs in Limbo
FERC last week vacated its August order certificating El PasoNatural Gas Co.’s planned expansion of its 33-mile Bondad system, amove that the pipeline says puts the troubled project in anuncertain status.
Pennsylvania Gas Legislation in Limbo
Pennsylvania may have blazed the trail for state electricrestructuring, but it’s still floundering in the quagmire ofnatural gas unbundling. A legislative effort started last year byRep. Frank Tulli, Sen. Jeffrey E. Piccola and several other statelawmakers has stalled while stakeholders continue arguing overdetails in workgroups at the state Public Utility Commission andthe governor grapples with a tough decision over the potential lossof $120 million/year in gross receipts taxes.
Canadian Gas Accord Leaves Voyageur in Limbo
The major accord signed by Canadian gas industry stakeholders lastweek that virtually assures construction of the Alliance Pipelineproject (See GPI Daily, April 9) hasmade the fate of the competing 1.4 Bcf/d Viking Voyageur projectextremely doubtful. Voyageur sponsors TransCanada PipeLines andNorthern States Power were in meetings all day Monday and Tuesday andan announcement is expected later this week. One Voyageur officialsaid all options are possible, including shelving the 800-milepipeline project.