Order

In order to keep pace with Maryland gas deregulation, WashingtonGas filed a rate plan with the Maryland Public Service Commission(MPSC) last week, proposing a five-year rate freeze and credits oncustomer bills if the company’s return on equity (ROE) exceeds 12%.Washington Gas hopes to have the filing approved this fall.

In order to keep pace with Maryland’s gas deregulation,Washington Gas filed a rate plan with the Maryland Public ServiceCommission (MPSC) yesterday, in which the utility proposed afive-year rate freeze and plan that would result in credits oncustomers’ bills if the company’s return on equity (ROE) exceeds12%. Washington Gas hopes to have the filing approved this fall.

Mississippi Canyon Gas Pipeline won blessing in a draft orderfrom the FERC for firm capacity expansion from 600 MMcf/d to 800MMcf/d. Mississippi Canyon – formerly Shell Gas Pipeline -operates a 45-mile dual-phase line from the West Delta Block 143″A” platform on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Louisiana toterminus near the Venice Gas Plant in Plaquemines Parish onshore inLouisiana. The capacity increase is to come from establishingmaximum receipt and delivery point pressures and installation ofadditional metering facilities on the pipeline’s existing system atthe Venice plant delivery point.

Transco shippers have accumulated a significant negativeimbalance through the first 20 days of April, the pipeline said. Inorder to avoid restrictions that would be caused by a large volumeof receipt makeup transactions requested to flow for a limited timeat the end of the month, Transco urged that such transactions bescheduled as soon as possible to allow a steady flow rate throughApril 30.

Maine and New Hampshire regulators have asked FERC to deferconsideration of a petition for declaratory order that would allowGranite State Gas Transmission to recover millions of dollars inpreliminary development costs for a controversial liquefied naturalgas (LNG) facility in Wells, ME, that’s not even likely to bebuilt.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp., an independent oil and gas company,announced Wednesday it has purchased 7.5 acres in a Houston suburbin order to build a 32-story, 800,000 square foot headquartersbuilding. The company said it needs to move to accommodate itsgrowth needs. Groundbreaking is expected early next year. Anadarkoplans to move in mid-2002.

Alliance Pipeline said yesterday it will accept the terms of thecertificate order handed down by FERC last week and, pendingCanadian regulatory approval, plans to begin construction on its1,900-mile pipeline system next May with service by 4Q2000.

While admitting that proliferating pipeline projects arecreating a tall order for marketers, the Canadian natural gascommunity is not only talking optimistically – it is acting onexpectations that its hopes for increased exports will come true.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order lateFriday authorizing the California ISO on an interim basis to”reject bids in excess of whatever price levels it believes areappropriate for Regulation, Spinning Reserve, Non-Spinning Reserveand Replacement Reserve. The price levels could be based on costs,market or any factor the ISO determines will attract sufficientbids into the markets.”