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Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) introduced legislation last week to create a multi-billion-dollar fund to help the new Office of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the departments of energy, commerce and interior, in its effort to protect the nation’s physical energy assets and domestic supply from disruption due to terrorist attacks.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) plans to introduce legislation this week to create a multi-billion-dollar fund to help the new Office of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the departments of energy, commerce and interior, in its effort to protect the nation’s physical energy assets and domestic supply from disruption due to terrorist attacks.

The creation of a seamless, multi-state energy market between New York, New England and the Mid-Atlantic states is but one of several steps utilities and state and federal agencies should consider implementing to make sure that the Empire State avoids an energy crisis similar to California’s, says the association that represents New York’s independent power producers.

The creation of a seamless, multi-state energy market between New York, New England and the mid-Atlantic states is but one of several steps utilities and state and federal agencies should consider implementing to make sure that the Empire State avoids an energy crisis similar to California’s, says the association that represents New York’s independent power producers.

Maine Natural Gas (MNG) has signed a multi-year contract thatwill guarantee gas service to the Mid-Coast region of Maine. MNG, ajoint venture formed by CMP Group and Energy East, signed anagreement with the Federal Government to provide natural gastransportation to the Brunswick Naval Air Station located inBrunswick.

A multi-year alliance will give Constellation Power Source the right to manage the Texas power resource needs for TNP Enterprises Inc.’s Texas-New Mexico Power Co. (TNMP) and First Choice Power under an agreement announced Wednesday. The Constellation Energy Group unit will manage about 1,100 MW under an agreement made through a competitive selection process begun by TNP last October. No financial details were disclosed.

TXU Energy Services signed a 10-year multi-million dollaragreement with Aperian Inc. to own, operate and maintain themechanical and electrical energy equipment at Aperian’s fiveInternet data centers, located in Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Phoenixand Tampa. The contract also includes all future phases ofexpansion.

TXU Energy Services signed a 10-year multi-million dollaragreement with Aperian Inc. to own, operate and maintain themechanical and electrical energy equipment at Aperian’s fiveInternet data centers, located in Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Phoenixand Tampa. The contract also includes all future phases ofexpansion.

Seeking to set aside what it called an “inappropriate” multi-billion verdict in which a jury awarded the State of Alabama $87 million in compensatory damages and $3.4 billion in punitive damages over unpaid royalty fees, ExxonMobil Corp. has filed an appeal with the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, AL. The case, decided last month, centered on charges that the energy giant (then Exxon, before its merger with Mobil) had underpaid up to $87.7 million in royalties on the Mobile Bay natural gas project in the Gulf of Mexico (see NGI, Dec. 25, 2000). The jury said it set the damages by tripling ExxonMobil’s annual production from 13 natural gas wells located on the Alabama coast in the disputed time. The long-standing contract dispute originally questioned whether an additional $40 million in royalties was due the state and exactly how the royalties should be calculated. To date, ExxonMobil said it has paid Alabama $1 billion in royalties and bonus payments under the lease agreement. “ExxonMobil believes that if this verdict goes unchallenged, other legitimate businesses in the state of Alabama – businesses that, like ExxonMobil, help expand the tax base, add to the economy and create new jobs – will also be potential targets,” the company said in a written statement. “Any company engaged in an open and reasonable contract dispute in the state will not be able to have reasonable disagreements with regulators without running the risk of being accused of fraud and being subjected to possible punitive damages.”