Nature

Members of Enron Corp.’s board of directors were briefed as far back as four years ago about the nature and structure of the controversial off-balance-sheet partnerships whose losses led to the downfall and bankruptcy of the once-powerful energy trader, according to a report in The Washington Post last Thursday.

Members of Enron Corp.’s board of directors were briefed as far back as four years ago about the nature and structure of the controversial off-balance-sheet partnerships whose losses led to the downfall and bankruptcy of the once-powerful energy trader, according to a report in The Washington Post Thursday.

FERC last week ruled that KN Wattenberg Transmission LLC’s entire interstate pipeline system is gathering in nature and thus exempt from Commission jurisdiction.

For now, California and other parts of the nation can thank Mother Nature for saving consumers from severe and sustained summer energy price spikes, and perhaps bolstering the political resolve to keep pushing ahead with market-based energy solutions, said a Wall Street analyst with Commerzbank Securities. However, the market fundamentals are still present to sustain higher-than-historic prices and volatility, particularly for natural gas.

For now, California and other parts of the nation can thank Mother Nature for saving consumers from severe and sustained summer energy price spikes, and perhaps bolstering the political resolve to keep pushing ahead with market-based energy solutions, said a Wall Street analyst with Commerzbank Securities. However, the market fundamentals are still present to sustain higher-than-historic prices and volatility, particularly for natural gas.

Nature’s severe downturn in the amounts of hydroelectricity in the western region over the past 12 months has been a giant wake-up call for natural gas as new gas-fired power plants are spurring an unprecedented rush to build added interstate pipeline transmission into Washington and Oregon.

Nature’s severe downturn in the amounts of hydroelectricity in the western region over the past 12 months has been a giant wake-up call for natural gas as new gas-fired power plants are spurring an unprecedented rush to build added interstate pipeline transmission into Washington and Oregon.

Demonstrating the volatile nature of the stock market this week,Dynegy’s stock price dropped almost 7% yesterday despite ChuckWatson, CEO of Dynegy, announcing that the company expects firstquarter earnings to be 20% higher than industry estimates.

The halfway nature of deregulation in the electric industry,which left market participants without the tools necessary to dealwith a sudden tight market situation-and panic-were criticalelements in the recent spiking of spot electric prices, marketexperts told congressmen Wednesday.