Operation

Burlington Resources Inc. said Tuesday it has completed and begun operation on the Train III expansion project at the Lost Cabin Gas Plant in the Madden Field in Fremont County, WY. The company said total volumes of gas flowing through the plant are currently being increased in phases with the ultimate goal of reaching full design capacity of 310 MMcfe/d by next year, following completion of planned drilling in the field.

California regulators, on a split 3-2 vote last Wednesday, gave Encana Corp.-backed Wild Goose Storage the initial okay to begin work expanding its merchant underground natural gas storage field in a former dry gas field 50 miles north of Sacramento. The project includes a new pipeline connection to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s overall backbone pipeline transmission system.

California regulators, on a split 3-2 vote Wednesday, gave Encana Corp.-backed Wild Goose Storage the initial okay to begin work expanding its merchant underground natural gas storage field in a former dry gas field 50 miles north of Sacramento. The project includes a new pipeline connection to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s overall backbone pipeline transmission system.

California regulators, on a split 3-2 vote Wednesday, gave Encana Corp.-backed Wild Goose Storage the initial okay to begin work expanding its merchant underground natural gas storage field in a former dry gas field 50 miles north of Sacramento. The project includes a new pipeline connection to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s overall backbone pipeline transmission system.

FERC staff plans to hold two joint technical conferences later this month with the Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) and Department of Energy (DOE) to discuss how to rebuild the natural gas pipeline infrastructure and apportion gas supplies in the event of a disaster — natural or otherwise.

FERC last Wednesday issued an order directing Exelon Corp. and affiliates PECO Energy Co., Exelon Generation Co. LLC and Power Team to show cause whether they violated a key section of the Federal Power Act (FPA) and standards of conduct in FERC regulations by operating PECO’s transmission system in an unduly preferential manner or sharing non-public information related to the timing and location of maintenance outages.

Reliant Energy is pushing to have in operation by mid-June a retail “negawatts” exchange program that it claims will significantly reduce the threat of forced electric outages this summer in the out-of-control California market and 11 other states that make up the Western Interconnection.

Reliant Energy is pushing to have in operation by mid-June a retail “negawatts” exchange program that it claims will significantly reduce the threat of forced electric outages this summer in the out-of-control California market and 11 other states that make up the Western Interconnection.

Calpine Corp. reported on Wednesday that it has placed its 525 MW natural gas-fired Westbrook Energy Center into commercial operation. The facility has successfully completed startup and final testing and is available to help meet peak summer power demand throughout the New England Power Pool. Located in Westbrook, ME, Calpine said Westbrook Energy Center will serve consumers in New England. Westbrook is Calpine’s fifth New England facility to successfully enter the region’s power market, significantly expanding the company’s regional portfolio of natural gas-fired combined-cycle generating capacity to a total of approximately 1,230 MW, with an additional 500 MW in late-stage development. In addition to Westbrook, Calpine’s New England portfolio includes the Androscoggin Energy Center in Jay, ME (52 MW net interest), the 251 MW Rumford Power facility in Rumford, ME, the 240 MW Tiverton Power facility in Tiverton, RI, and the 168 MW Dighton Power facility located in Dighton, MA. In addition, Calpine said it is awaiting final permits for the 500 MW Towantic Energy Center to be located in Oxford, CT. All of Calpine’s New England assets are combined-cycle units.