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In response to the strong interest in siting multiple liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals along the northern-most Pacific Coast of Baja, Mexico, North Baja Pipeline announced Monday its was holding an open season to solicit shipper interest in a potential expansion of the 220-mile international natural gas transmission pipeline running from the Arizona-California border south and west into Mexico. The open season runs through May 5, 2003.

The nation’s largest businesses, industrials and commercial companies with multiple locations and a recognized national brand, plan to drastically cut the number of natural gas and power suppliers that they deal with by between 65% and 93% as part of a move to streamline their supply chain, according to a survey by RKS Research & Consulting.

The nation’s largest businesses, industrials and commercial companies with multiple locations and a recognized national brand, plan to drastically cut the number of natural gas and power suppliers that they deal with by between 65% and 93% as part of a move to streamline their supply chain, according to a survey by RKS Research & Consulting.

Despite the recent failure of multiple major pipeline expansionprojects to Wisconsin, CMS Energy, WICOR and Viking GasTransmission have come up with another one that they believe haswhat it needs to succeed, namely a signed long-term contract withWICOR subsidiary Wisconsin Gas, the state’s largest LDC, for 650MMcf/d.

On a day of giving that included certificates for multiple pipeline expansions (see related stories), FERC also showed it can taketh away. The Commission said Wednesday it will let the price-cap waiver expire Sept. 30 in its pilot program on short-term capacity release transactions.

Despite being the target of multiple federal investigations into potential trading irregularities, the majority of energy companies reported last week that they certified the accuracy of financial information contained in their second-quarter 10-Q filings and their annual 10-K filings for 2001 in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations.

Despite being the target of multiple federal investigations into potential trading irregularities, the majority of energy companies reported Wednesday that they certified the accuracy of financial information contained in their second-quarter 10-Q filings and their annual 10-K filings for 2001 in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations.

Due primarily to unusually warm first quarter weather, increased electric utility power supply costs related to the Palisades nuclear plant outage, and continued weak economic conditions, CMS Energy Corp. posted first quarter operating net income of $96 million ($0.72 per share), compared to first quarter 2001 operating net income of $108 million ($0.84 per share). Despite the fall-off, CMS reaffirmed its earnings per share (EPS) guidance for operating net income for the full year. The company also reported that it has closed on two previously announced asset sales.

Merchant energy shares were hammered last week by multiple factors, the most significant being a FERC inquiry into the California electricity transactions of 150 energy merchants and power generators prompted by several Enron memos disclosed by FERC on Monday (see related story). Dynegy was struck particularly hard following an announcement on Tuesday that the Securities and Exchange Commission launched a formal investigation into its Alpha Project — a complex gas supply transaction. That was followed by news that some large “wash-out” power deals with CMS Energy might also be included in the probe.