Moved

PG&E Corp. moved another step closer to full approval of its proposed natural gas-fired 1,040 MW natural gas-fired plant to be located in Maricopa County, AZ. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a special use permit for the pending electric generation facility to be positioned near Phoenix.

Fueled by strength in the overnight Access trading session,natural gas prices moved higher Friday morning as traders coveredshort positions acquired during the market’s 30-cent move lowerlast week. However, after peaking at $3.93 in the first hour oftrading, the bears went back to work and were ultimately successfulpushing the market lower on the day. The August contract finishedthe session down 2.6 cents at $3.834 in a session that saw anextremely-light, 48,413 contracts change hands.

The Iowa Utilities Board has moved toward certifying natural gasmarketers in the state after issuing a proposed rulemaking thatsets different standards for small- and large- volume customers,specifically focusing on smaller customers who may not have theresources to evaluate a potential marketer.

The Iowa Utilities Board is moved toward certifying natural gasmarketers in the state after issuing a proposed rulemaking lastweek. The proposal sets different standards for small- and large-volume customers, specifically focusing on smaller customers whomay not have the resources to evaluate a potential marketer.

El Dorado, AR is about to become much bigger and brighter on themap. Dallas-based Panda Energy International has moved one stepcloser in the process of creating what will be the largest naturalgas-fired power plant in the country. Panda announced that it hassecured transportation to meet the plant’s daily natural gas needs.

El Dorado, AR is about to become much bigger and brighter on themap. Dallas-based Panda Energy International has moved one stepcloser in the process of creating what will be the largest naturalgas-fired power plant in the country. Panda announced that it hassecured transportation to meet the plant’s daily natural gas needs.

The proposed merger of Anadarko Petroleum and Union PacificResources moved forward yesterday when the U.S. Federal TradeCommission (FTC) granted early termination of the statutory waitingperiod required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust ImprovementsAct. Completion of the merger still is subject to the approval ofthe shareholders of both companies and satisfaction of othercustomary conditions. Under the agreement, which was unanimouslyapproved by each company’s board of directors, UPR shareholderswill receive 0.455 Anadarko common shares for each UPR common sharethey own. The offer is worth about $5.6 billion. Anadarko will alsotake on $2.6 billion in long-term debt from UPR. Closing isexpected in July. UPR will become a wholly-owned subsidiary ofHouston-based Anadarko. The purchase more than doubles Anadarko’sNorth American gas reserves from 2.5 Tcf to 5.8 Tcf. The increasemoves the company from the 13th largest company in terms of NorthAmerican gas reserves to fifth. The increase of production is evenmore pronounced, as Anadarko will go from 170 Bcf/year (20th place)by itself to 634 Bcf/year (sixth place).

Completing its quietest last-three-day settlement period inrecent history, natural gas futures moved higher early yesterdayonly to drift lower throughout the afternoon as traders lightenedtheir long exposures. The expiring May contract finished 2.1 centslower at $3.089, but for many the real story was the rest of thesummer strip which slipped an average of 2.9 cents. Estimatedvolume was light for an expiration day with only 90,843 contractschanging hands.

American Electric Power (AEP) and Central and South West Corp.(CSW) moved one step closer to becoming the largest electricutility last week when FERC approved the $6 billion marriage of thetwo electric powerhouses. It imposed some conditions on the mergerdeal, but the companies said they weren’t anything they couldn’tlive with.