Municipal

While natural gas prices are down considerably, the nation’s largest municipal electric utility is hoping to acquire some natural gas reserves and forward supply contracts to lock in supplies and prices for the next three to five years, the muni’s interim general manager, David Wiggs, said Thursday.

NewEnergy is seeking natural gas supply for its commercial,institutional and municipal customers in Massachusetts, RhodeIsland and Connecticut. The company issued a request for proposals(RFP) for an undetermined amount of supply this week. Stephen J.Remen, a managing director in NewEnergy’s New England office, saidthe amount will be determined after a supplier is found and a salesproposal can be sent out to NewEnergy’s customers, which numbermore than 20,000 in the three states. “This new gas RFP willposition us to offer both electricity and natural gas service toincreasing numbers of customers as we anticipate the marketbecoming more competitive in the months ahead,” said Remen. “As themarket continues to evolve we want to solicit bids on gas supply tomaximize the dollar savings that we can offer our customers.” TheRFP requires citygate delivery and behind-the-citygatetransportation management. Responses to the RFP are due May 29 at10 a.m. Contact NewEnergy at 617-772-7500 or 888-772-WATT toreceive a copy of the RFP document.

The continuing public split between the nation’s largestmunicipal utility and California’s nonprofit, state-charteredtransmission grid operator is widening with finger-pointinginvolved in the plans for heading off potential power shortagesthis summer. Left unresolved is the more than two-year-olddiscussion attempting to bring the Los Angeles Department of Waterand Power (LADWP), a transmission- and generation-rich muni, intothe state’s fold.

The nation’s biggest municipal utility, the City of Los AngelesDepartment of Water and Power, has signed 27 of its largestcustomers to discount contracts valued collectively at $1.2 billionover their seven- and 10-year lives. The deals represent about 8%of the departments electricity sales which are projected to be 25GWh this year, according to Randy Howard, LADWP’s manager of thelong-term contracts.

NEChoice LLC announced yesterday that it is seeking electricitysuppliers for its commercial, institutional and municipal customersthrough its National Energy Choice program. National Energy Choice,which currently represents one of the largest aggregated pools inthe Northeast, is seeking bids for 100 MW of electricity. Abidder’s conference will be held on Jan. 6 and responses are due onFriday, Jan. 14.

Watertown Municipal Utilities chose Tenaska Marketing Venturesof Omaha, NB, to be its gas transportation and fuel manager for thenext five years. Watertown will buy about 8 Bcf of gas from Tenaskaover the contract term. The utility recently finished constructinga five-mile pipeline directly connecting it to Northern BorderPipeline. Previously, the utility moved gas on Northern Natural.Thecombined gas, electric and water utility serves about 20,000 innortheast South Dakota.

The Orlando [FL] Utilities Commission (OUC) approved the sale ofthe municipal utility’s 619-MW Indian River Steam Generation Plant(IRP) to Reliant Energy for $205 million.

The Orlando [FL] Utilities Commission (OUC) approved the sale ofthe municipal utility’s 619-MW Indian River Steam Generation Plant(IRP) to Reliant Energy for $205 million.

The Greenwood Commissioners of Public Works (CPW), the municipalorganization responsible for the energy needs for the city ofGreenwood, SC, said last week it has entered the market for a totalenergy provider. The CPW is searching for companies with tangibleassets to provide comprehensive energy supply services, includingpower supply and gas supply. Energy supply proposals may includealternatives ranging from full requirements service to thedevelopment of owned generating resources, the CPW said.