Members

Holding an informal dialogue among its members at its 2003 Summer Committee Meetings in Denver, CO, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) explored how regulated cost recovery can be used to encourage adequate investment in critical infrastructure.

Republican members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee fought off Democratic efforts Wednesday to significantly expand FERC’s powers to punish “bad actors” who commit fraud and manipulation in the natural gas and electricity markets.

In response to simmering environmental concerns on the U.S. side of the Mexican border, California congressional members introduced legislation last week that would place fuel limitations and stringent environmental requirements on Mexican-based power plants that sell supplies across the border into the United States. The action was prompted by two power plants now under construction just south of Mexicali in North Baja.

In discussions with the Bush administration, members of Congress and industry representatives in Washington, DC, Tuesday, Canadian Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal reiterated Canada’s desire that any provisions in the energy bill dealing with a northern natural gas pipeline be “route neutral” with no subsidies. The private sector should determine the route, he said.

Phillips Petroleum Co. and Conoco have named the initial members of the ConocoPhillips global management team that will take office after the completion of their proposed merger of equals that was announced last November (see Daily GPI, Nov. 20, 2001). As previously reported, James J. Mulva, currently chairman and CEO of Phillips, will become president and CEO of ConocoPhillips. Robert E. McKee III will become executive vice president, exploration and production (E&P). He currently is executive vice president, E&P, for Conoco, a position he has held since 1996. Jim W. Nokes will become executive vice president, refining, marketing, supply and transportation (RMS&T). He currently is executive vice president, RMS&T, for Conoco. John A. Carrig will become executive vice president, finance, and CFO. He currently is senior vice president and CFO for Phillips. John E. Lowe will become executive vice president, planning and strategic transactions. He currently is senior vice president, corporate strategy and development, for Phillips. Rick A. Harrington will become senior vice president, legal, and general counsel. He currently is senior vice president, legal, and general counsel for Conoco. All five will report directly to Mulva. “The selection process was difficult, given the proven leadership of the top executives of both companies,” said Conoco Chairman and CEO Archie W. Dunham, who will serve as chairman of ConocoPhillips. The companies said that special meetings of stockholders of both Phillips and Conoco have been called for March 12, when a final vote on the merger will be tallied. The merger also remains subject to receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2002.

Vice President Dick Cheney and key Cabinet members were dispatched around the country early last week in an effort to resuscitate the public’s interest in the Bush administration’s package of energy proposals, which had been largely stalled in Congress after being unveiled to much fanfare in May.

Key Senate members of the Florida delegation weren’t ready to declare a full victory after the Bush administration, in a compromise gesture earlier this week, significantly scaled back plans to allow oil and natural gas drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) and a broad-based coalition of electric industry and state organizations urged members of Congress and other key energy officials to support prompt passage of federal legislation to promote and ensure the continued reliability of high-voltage electric transmission systems in the United States and throughout North America.

Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) was expected to send out a “discussion draft” of his widely anticipated emergency legislation for California to members of the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee late yesterday, which means that it’s “still very open to change,” said Barton press aide Samantha Jordan. While “it’s more likely than not” that Barton will introduce a bill to aid California, “it’s not definite.” If he decides in favor of legislation, she said he will probably come out with it in late April after the congressional recess. Barton would then hold one hearing on the bill and move quickly to mark-up. Barton also is hoping to unveil omnibus energy legislation in the House by late May or early June, Jordan noted, and forward it to the White House by early fall.