Notices

The panache of a “AA+” rating of the corporate parent by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service apparently has failed to win over doubters, after UBS Warburg Energy switched off its online energy trading system (formerly EnronOnline) and announced it will terminate nearly all of its 380 Houston-based employees. Those not fired will be offered jobs in a UBS office in Stamford, CT, the company said Wednesday.

Under the fresh new provisions for two- and one-day advance notices of potential rolling blackouts, California’s transmission grid operator, Cal-ISO, issued warnings Monday for later this week of potential rolling blackouts. None were needed Monday as temperatures in the inland valleys soared statewide, driving peak demand to 37,200 MW, about 1,000 MW higher than forecast. The warnings automatically terminated, however, when no follow-up 24-hour notice was issued.

Attempting to head off proposed federal legislation, theInterstate Natural Gas Association of America has proposed new FERCprocedures requiring pipelines to notify affected landowners aboutnew construction plans on the first business day after filing acertificate application.