Online

In an effort to streamline its online trading process andstrengthen energy trading efficiency, HoustonStreet Exchange hasjoined the independent and not-for-profit Organizaton for theAdvancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Theexchange says its decision to join marks the industry’s firstmaneuver to bring open standards to wholesale energy trading.

Utilities are playing “switching games” with consumers whoattempt to use lower-cost competitors or who attempt to use onlineenergy companies, charged the nonprofit United HomeownersAssociation yesterday. The watchdog group, which based its analysisof natural gas deregulation on two major U.S. markets —Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA — said the cost savingsavailable under energy deregulation actually may be denied toconsumers, or take so long that the consumers finally give up.

Dynegy Inc. has started commercial operation at the CalcasieuGeneration Project, a 155 MW natural gas-fired power generationfacility near Lake Charles, LA. Construction of the simple-cyclepeaking facility took less than eight months, making it the firsttrue merchant plant in the state of Louisiana and the second powerplant developed by Dynegy under its $5 billion generation expansionprogram.

In the most recent effort to expand its Internet presence, SouthernCompany is launching an online energy and cost management informationsystem, www.EnergyDirect.com. The site is the company’sfirst Internet offering created expressly for all business customers.

kRoad Ventures LP made a significant investment in HoustonStreetExchange Inc. to finance the online energy trading system’s pondcrossing to Europe. New York City-based kRoad is a global venturecapital fund focused on the infrastructure sector (energy,utilities, water and waste management). kRoad brings tradingliquidity, sector experience and international business networksunique to its limited partners: Vivendi (Europe), Softbank (Asia)and Sithe (North America). kRoad’s investment is the cornerstone ofHoustonStreet’s international initiatives. kRoad, Vivendi andHoustonStreet agreed to structure a strategic partnership toestablish HoustonStreet Europe.

Enron launched EnronCredit.com, a global online creditdepartment to provide live credit prices and enablebusiness-to-business customers to hedge credit exposure instantlyvia the Internet. EnronCredit.com helps businesses evaluate thecredit quality of their customers in real time and, beginning March8, will allow them to transact in bankruptcy swaps via Enron’sglobal Internet-based transaction system, EnronOnline.

Altra said last week it completed the previously announcedmerger of the Streamline and Quicktrade electronic energy tradingsystems, achieving a major goal Altra set when it bought Quicktradein January. Altra said the combined package will increaseStreamline user numbers 30% and boost liquidity.

Altra announced earlier this week it has completed thepreviously announced merger of the Streamline and Quicktradeelectronic energy trading systems, achieving a major goal Altra setwhen it bought Quicktrade in January. Altra said the combinedpackage will increase Streamline user numbers 30% and boostliquidity.

Attempting to reach energy consumers on both coasts, SouthernCalifornia Gas Co. said Thursday it hopes to offer its Internetmarketplace to customers in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois,Pennsylvania, and Georgia in the very near future. The expansionwas announced as part of the formal launching of power trading onthe company’s energy market web site, www.energymarketplace.com.