Northwest

The staff of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) gaveNorthwest Natural Gas (NWNG) quite a beating this week in a generalrate case. The staff recommended a revenue reduction of $19.9million per year from the gas utility’s operations in Oregon. NWNGhad requested a revenue increase of $14.7 million per year.

Citing continuing reduction of capacity by unseasonably hightemperatures, PG&E Gas Transmission-Northwest said it wouldagain be necessary to limit volumes today to 2,450 MMcf/d atKingsgate and to 1,870 MMcf/d at Station 14 (the last one upstreamof Malin) in order to return the system to optimum performance.

PG&E Gas Transmission-Northwest reported Tuesday it hadcompleted unscheduled maintenance on Unit C at Station 7 (see DailyGPI, June 24-26). Throughput capabilities returned to 2,500 MMcf/dat Kingsgate, 2,375 MMcf/d at Station 8 and 1,900 MMcf/d at Station14.

Northwest continued Tuesday to ban any on-system balancing,warning that regional temperatures are getting warmer and linepack”is very high.” Shippers were asked to refrain from banking gas onthe system in order to avoid a potential entitlement.

In upholding the rolled-in rate settlement of PG&E GasTransmission Northwest Corp., the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission ruled last week that replacement shippers who receivedpermanent releases of older, pre-expansion capacity were similarlysituated to the system’s expansion shippers and, therefore, shouldbe charged similar rates.