Marketers

Niagara Mohawk Power customers and marketers got an earlyholiday present this month, when Tennessee Gas Pipeline beganservice Dec. 1 on the direct connection from its 200 Line nearCedar Hill, NY to the gas distribution system of Niagara MohawkPower near Albany. The new 2.7-mile lateral has the capacity tosupply the proposed Bethlehem Energy Center being developed nearthe connection site. Stephen C. Beasley, president of TennesseeGas, said the connection offers a “variety of new opportunities forshippers on Tennessee,” and will eliminate rate stacking of coststhrough multiple pipelines.

Atlanta Gas Light Co. has implemented a seasonal rate plan timedto roll out during its February 2001 billing cycle by its naturalgas marketers. The plan, approved by the Georgia Public ServiceCommission, would make billing follow traditional winter and summerusage patterns.

After the approval of the fifth and final utility’s electric choiceplan early last month, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)vowed that the next crucial step would be marketer certification. Thatstep was taken last week as FirstEnergy Services, a subsidiary ofFirstEnergy, became one of the first to gain certification to offercustomers electricity in Ohio (see Daily GPI, Oct. 2).

While condemning the wholesale gas and power volatility thissummer and profit-hungry generator/marketers, San Diego-basedSempra Energy CEO Steve Baum painted a bright picture last Thursdayfor his company and utility consumers, noting that San Diego Gasand Electric Co. customers are now paying on average less for theirelectricity than they did a year ago.

While condemning the wholesale gas and power volatility thissummer and profit-hungry generator/marketers, San Diego-basedSempra Energy CEO Steve Baum painted a bright picture last Thursdayfor his company and utility consumers, noting that San Diego Gasand Electric customers are now paying on average less for theirelectricity than they did a year ago.

The National Energy Marketers Association’s (NEM) executivecommittee will vote on a final draft of a National EnergyTechnology Policy at the group’s Industry Leadership Roundtable onOct. 30 and 31 in The Woodlands, TX in an attempt to implementuniform internet standards and tax incentives to upgrade the U.S.energy infrastructure.

Independent power marketers have denounced efforts by theCalifornia Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) to extend itspurchase price cap authority, fearing it would give the Cal-ISO”unfettered” control over wholesale electric market prices in thestate. But California investor-owned utilities, Southern CaliforniaEdison and Pacific Gas and Electric, and the California PowerExchange (Cal-PX) and California Electricity Oversight Board see anupside to the Cal-ISO’s request.

Independent power marketers are opposed to any extension of theCalifornia Independent System Operator’s (Cal-ISO) purchase pricecap authority, saying it would give the Cal-ISO “unfettered”control over wholesale electric market prices in the state. Butinvestor-owned utility, Southern California Edison, and theCalifornia Power Exchange (Cal-PX) see an upside to the Cal-ISO’srequest.

FERC last week broadened the bid-cap authority of the NewEngland Independent System Operator (ISO) to the chagrin of largepower marketers and utilities operating within the New EnglandPower Pool (NEPOOL).