Moves

It’s crunch time on the energy policy front, and the big guns are in play, preparing the ground for the administration’s much-heralded comprehensive energy strategy. Vice President Dick Cheney has been putting in a series of media appearances lately, supporting energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and today a task force of energy experts is unveiling a report calling on the nation to make some hard choices or face “more Californias in America’s future.”

The 442-mile Millennium Pipeline project, which would bring 714 MMcf/d of gas to New York City from connections with the Canadian pipeline grid under Lake Erie, made progress yesterday when its highly contested route alternative in Westchester County, NY, gained the support of the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), local citizens, elected officials and the pipeline’s planners. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) still must review all comments on the pipeline’s supplemental draft environmental impact statement (EIS) before issuing a final EIS.

After several ownership changes and years of consideration, Market Hub Partners (MHP) is finally preparing its proposed salt cavern gas storage project in Copiah, MS, for service. The Duke Energy subsidiary launched a 30-day open season last week to test market interest in the project, which initially would provide 3 Bcf of working capacity and about 300 MMcf/d of deliverability on Texas Eastern and several other Gulf Coast pipes starting in spring 2004.

In the immediate aftermath of the California Public UtilitiesCommission’s sweeping moves to stabilize the state’s electricityoperations, the regulators and the governor’s staff are sloggingthrough endless details that will have to be worked out ifcash-strapped investor-owned utilities are going to be able to paythe state and generators and still have enough left over to covertheir own costs.

After several ownership changes and years of consideration,Market Hub Partners (MHP) is finally preparing its proposed saltcavern gas storage project in Copiah, MS, for service. The DukeEnergy subsidiary launched a 30-day open season yesterday to testmarket interest in the project, which initially would provide 3 Bcfof working capacity and about 300 MMcf/d of deliverability on TexasEastern and several other Gulf Coast pipes starting in spring 2004.

As it moves closer to statewide deregulation, the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is finalizing permanent rules that will govern retail access to competitive energy services for both the electric and natural gas industries. The SCC is calling for public comment on the proposed rules, which take effect Jan. 1, 2002.

As it moves closer to statewide deregulation, the Virginia StateCorporation Commission (SCC) is finalizing permanent rules thatwill govern retail access to competitive energy services for boththe electric and natural gas industries. The SCC is calling forpublic comment on the proposed rules, which take effect Jan. 1,2002.

Despite moves by the Republican-led FERC during the past week toaddress potential refunds and possible price manipulation in theCalifornia wholesale power markets, the Bush administrationcontinued to be the favorite whipping boy of Senate Democrats forits unrelenting opposition to temporary price mitigation in thewestern region.

Despite moves by the Republican-led FERC last week to addresspotential refunds and possible price manipulation in the Californiawholesale power markets, the Bush administration continued to bethe favorite whipping boy of Senate Democrats for its unrelentingopposition to some form of price mitigation for the short term inthe western region.