Meeting

MCN Energy Group Inc. Friday called for a special meeting ofcommon stock shareholders to be held May 15, 2001, at 2 p.m.eastern time at MCN’s headquarters to approve the long-delayedmerger with DTE Energy Co.

In the first meeting of the newly-formed Alaska Highway Natural Gas Policy Council (AHNGPC) last week, Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles charged the 28-member panel of community, business and labor leaders with the task of looking into public policy questions surrounding the development and transportation of natural gas in the North Slope.

In the first meeting of the newly-formed Alaska Highway NaturalGas Policy Council (AHNGPC) last week, Alaska Gov. Tony Knowlescharged the 28-member panel of community, business and laborleaders with the task of looking into public policy questionssurrounding the development and transportation of natural gas inthe North Slope.

Once upon a time, some regions of the United States were having problems meeting peak seasonal demand for natural gas. Inadequate pipeline and storage capacity, combined with production exceeding new natural gas discoveries, sent suppliers looking for alternatives. Imported liquefied natural gas became a hot commodity. Now the story has been rewound and is playing all over again — with bigger players and a wider stage.

Once upon a time, some regions of the United States were havingproblems meeting peak seasonal demand for natural gas. Inadequatepipeline and storage capacity, combined with production exceedingnew natural gas discoveries, sent suppliers looking foralternatives. Imported liquefied natural gas became a hotcommodity. Now the story has been rewound and is playing all overagain — with bigger players and a wider stage.

Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK) emerged from a 45-minute meetingwith Vice President Richard Cheney yesterday to announce that theRepublican leaders in the Senate will introduce their wide-rangingenergy bill “early next week.”

Meeting in a special session last week, California’s regulatorsgave PG&E’s utility authority to amend its gas supply deals tokeep supplies flowing to the state past Tuesday when the currentfederal DOE emergency order expires. But regulators postponedaction on another PG&E request that Southern California Gas Co.over its strong protests be compelled to provide emergency suppliesto PG&E’s gas utility residential and small business customers.That issue is scheduled to come up Thursday when the regulatorsreconvene.

A California utility consumer advocate and a Kentucky-basedeconomist/consultant offered a national meeting of state regulatorycommissioners in San Diego last week different prescriptions forproviding long-term relief to retail consumers in the midst ofvarious electric industry restructuring efforts scattered aroundthe nation.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted out a conditional certificate at last week’s regular meeting for the proposed 70-mile long Horizon Pipeline to carry 380 MMcf/d from the Joliet, IL, hub into northern Illinois.