Looks

The power market looks tight again for generation andtransmission this summer with some warnings of price spikes —particularly in the Midwest and California — and the situationisn’t likely to get much better over the next few years, accordingto power market executives.

It looks like NiSource is going to get a run for its money inthe second round of a bidding war for Columbia Energy Group.Columbia informed the Securities and Exchange Commission last weekthat it has received “preliminary indications of interest fromnumerous third parties” during an ongoing open house on the companyand its assets.

It looks like NiSource is going to get a run for its money inthe second round of a bidding war for Columbia Energy Group.Columbia informed the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterdaythat it has received “preliminary indications of interest fromnumerous third parties” during an ongoing open house on the companyand its assets.

Despite continuing setbacks with Texas properties, PG&ECorp. officials last week expressed continued support for theirnational energy strategy, which when broken down is a largelyelectricity-based with key gas assets to enhance power assetvalues.

Despite continuing setbacks with Texas properties, PG&ECorp. officials this week expressed continued support for theirnational energy strategy, which when broken down is a largelyelectricity-based with key gas assets to enhance power assetvalues.

It will be a busy day for Georgia’s gas industry today as twoseparate meetings are being held which promise to go a long way indetermining the fate of the bankrupt Peachtree Natural Gas’ 170,000customers.

Columbia Energy Group is planning some significant investmentsin wholesale power generation and possibly foreign utilities andhas filed a request with the Securities and Exchange Commission toexpand its authority under the Public Utility Holding Companies Actto make such investments. Columbia told the commission it wants tobe able to invest an amount equal to 100% of its annual earnings.It currently is authorized to invest only 50% of its earnings insuch projects.

While Enron Energy Services signed its largest contract ever inthe third quarter, the business has yet to show a profit. However,the company said strong performance to date all but ensure a profitin the fourth quarter.

California, the trend-setter in electric restructuring, isexpected to take it to the next level with a “decision-making”investigation starting this fall on distributed generation and themonster issue lurking behind it – the sacrosanct local distributionfranchises.