Norm

Though forecasts of seasonal springtime temperatures remain the norm for most areas, the cash market was able to find enough traction in weather-based demand to rise at all points Wednesday. It also derived support from the run-up of 6.8 cents in Tuesday’s expiration-day trading of May futures.

Close-to-flat price movement in either direction was the norm in the cash market Wednesday as prior-day futures support from a gain of 6.1 cents by the May contract Tuesday was pitted against generally light heating load and the absence of any substantive cooling load yet.

This winter will be colder than last year and much closer to the 30-year norm for the national average expectation, according to MDA EarthSat Energy Weather’s Winter Outlook, which concurred with a winter forecast by AccuWeather issued earlier this month. EarthSat also set 3:1 odds for a colder-than-normal November in the eastern United States.

While prices for all of the energies have been on the rise for the past year, the price increases in natural gas and crude oil have not been proportionate, a departure from the norm, according to a new Merrill Lynch study.

Although not without a degree of dissension that has become the norm, the California Public Utilities Commission Thursday agreed to grant an additional $67 million in public goods charge monies for energy efficiency programs this year and next, and to give Southern California Gas Co. a $6.3 million reward for its recent natural gas procurement program under an incentive rate mechanism in place for the past nine years.

For the next three months, forecaster WSI Corp. is forecasting cooler-than-normal temperatures in the central and southern Rockies, central and southern Plains and Pacific Northwest.Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected in California and Nevada, the northern Rockies and Plains, as well as all areas east of the Mississippi River.

For the next three months, forecaster WSI Corp. is forecasting cooler-than-normal temperatures in the central and southern Rockies, central and southern Plains and Pacific Northwest.Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected in California and Nevada, the northern Rockies and Plains, as well as all areas east of the Mississippi River.

Increases of more than a dime were the norm Monday as 80-90degree temperatures throughout the eastern half of the country andthe ensuing electric generation load caused gas prices at allpoints to rise substantially. New York Citygate led the way withprices increasing from the low $2.50s on Friday to the mid $2.70syesterday. The need for Northeast electric generation was socritical yesterday that the New England ISO issued a “powerwarning” and asked consumers to voluntarily curb power use.

Replacement of its A-Line north of Stanfield, OR, is keepingKingsgate capacity of PG&E GT-NW limited to 2,250 MMcf/d-370MMcf/d under the April norm-through Friday. Hydrostatic testing ofthe line at Station 6-A will further limit Kinggate to 2,190 MMcf/dApril 19-22.