Orders

FERC on Friday ordered IDACORP Inc. subsidiaries Idaho Power Co. and IDACORP Energy to return $6.14 million to customers after finding the utility provided preferential access on its transmission system to its power marketing affiliate between 2000 and 2002, and violated the agency’s standards of conduct for regulated companies.

In an unprecedented show of support for accurate natural gas price indices, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week issued an order requiring 11 major energy companies, many of whom have publicly admitted providing false data to trade publications that publish indices, to prove that they have changed their ways. They must either demonstrate that they have installed controls to prevent any attempt at price index manipulation in the future, or show that they have exited the wholesale gas marketing and trading business entirely.

FERC last Wednesday voted out orders that give Vector Pipeline LP, Northwest Pipeline Corp. and the city of Duluth (MN) the green light to proceed with smaller pipeline projects.

FERC on Wednesday gave 11 gas trading companies 45 days to either improve their gas price reporting practices to energy trade publications or show that they have exited the wholesale trading business. The Commission said the action should help ensure that publishers of natural gas price indexes receive complete and accurate information from the companies.

FERC on Wednesday voted out orders that give Vector Pipeline LP, Northwest Pipeline Corp. and the city of Duluth (MN) the green light to proceed with smaller pipeline projects.

Following on the heels of Wednesday’s hurried report on natural gas and gasoline winter wholesale prices spikes, California Gov. Gray Davis late the same day formally asked the state’s two principal energy agencies to continue investigating prices for both fuels that are critical to the state’s economy. Davis wants follow-up reports every 30 days through the end of the year.

FERC last week ordered settlement talks in response to complaints filed by the city of Burbank, CA, and Kroger Co., a national grocery chain, against power suppliers seeking to modify forward bilateral contracts for power supplies that were entered into during the California energy crisis of 2000-2001.

Federal bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has ordered a hearing to set up settlement talks between Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and the California Public Utility Commission in the PG&E utility’s $13 billion bankruptcy case. The judge said further delay in the case will lead to a “staggering expense” for all parties.

Federal bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has ordered a hearing to set up settlement talks between Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and the California Public Utility Commission in the PG&E utility’s $13 billion bankruptcy case. The judge said further delay in the case will lead to a “staggering expense” for all parties.