Moved

Uniform electricity markets across the Northeast andMid-Atlantic regions moved one step closer to becoming reality onThursday as electricity market administrators, Independent SystemOperator (ISO) New England Inc. and PJM Interconnection LLC,reported that they have teamed up with systems developer ALSTOMESCA Corp. with the intent to formalize an agreement that willstandardize their electricity markets. The ISOs also believe themodel could be adopted by wholesale markets across the country.

Depending on your perspective, California either moved towardfuture solutions to its nagging energy crisis or took several stepsbackward yesterday with the launch of its electricity bulk buyingprogram for long-term, fixed-price supplies.

City officials in Hutchinson, KS have moved into an”investigation and recovery stage” after a suspected leakingnatural gas storage cavern caused two explosions last week,leveling businesses and killing one man and injuring his wife. Thecavern was sealed Monday and now experts are trying to determinehow to vent a huge gas bubble still spewing through geysers allover town.

The North Baja Pipeline Project moved to within one step of becoming reality late last week as Mexico’s Comision Reguladora de Energia (CRE) issued a natural gas transportation permit to Sempra Energy International for the construction of the 135-mile Mexican segment of the $230 million, 215-mile Arizona-to-Mexico pipeline.

The North Baja Pipeline Project moved to within one step ofbecoming reality yesterday as Mexico’s Comision Reguladora deEnergia (CRE) issued a natural gas transportation permit to SempraEnergy International for the construction of the 135-mile Mexicansegment of the $230 million, 215-mile Arizona to Mexico pipeline.

Laclede Gas Co. has moved to separate its regulated andunregulated entities in an effort to give the unregulated arm ofthe natural gas distributor more flexibility and financing options.The St. Louis company’s board of directors voted for authorizationfrom the Securities and Exchange Commission to reorganize.

FERC moved its electric power transmission policy into newterritory last week with the approval of DTE Energy’s spin-offtransmission system, International Transmission Co. (ITC), as anindependent transco with rates similar to those of a regionaltransmission organization (RTO). (ER00-3295)

The thunderstorm formerly known as Hurricane Gordon moved toofar east too fast then slowed too much too soon to have much impacton the key U.S. oil and gas production areas off the Gulf ofMexico. By Monday afternoon, the evacuated offshore workers hadbeen returned to their rigs and power lost in Florida communitieshad been restored.

Deregulation of New Hampshire’s electricity market moved a giantstep closer to becoming a reality on Tuesday. The New HampshirePublic Utilities Commission approved the state’s settlementagreement with Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH),allowing the process of electric restructuring to continue on itstrack.