Oversee

Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Tom Corbett last week selected three experienced state officials to oversee the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and named another as the state’s first Energy Executive — news that was applauded by industry and environmental groups.

Pennsylvania Gov.-elect Tom Corbett on Tuesday selected three experienced state officials to oversee the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and named another as the state’s first Energy Executive.

Although they agreed to review next year the methodology used in calculating authorized profit levels for the energy utilities they oversee, California’s five regulators Thursday unanimously agreed to increase returns-on-equity (ROE) for the three major electric or combination utilities. The action drew a lot of commentary from the five members of the California Public Utilities Commission, which reviews the utilities’ so-called “cost-of-capital” annually at the end of each calendar year.

El Paso Corp. has appointed Lisa A. Stewart, an Apache Corp. veteran, as president, Production and Non-regulated Operations. Stewart will oversee all of the Houston-based company’s production, midstream, power, marketing and petroleum businesses. Stewart, who will assume her position on Feb. 1, 2004, is currently executive vice president, Business Development and E&P Services for Apache Corp. Stewart earned a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Tulsa in 1981 and went to work for Cities Service Co. Since 1984 she has worked for Apache and has steadily progressed through various management positions. In her current role, she is responsible for strategic business activities, including acquisitions.

Four natural gas trade groups have called on Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to award one federal agency primary responsibility over the security of the nation’s energy infrastructure.

Just one week after announcing that he will step down as FERC chairman at the end of the month, Entergy Corp. is reporting that it has hired Curt Hebert Jr. to become executive vice president of external affairs, effective Sept. 1.

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO) named BarrettHatches president and CEO. Hatches, who will join NIPSCO April 2,will oversee all natural gas and electric distribution operationsof the utility serving more than 700,000 natural gas customers and430,000 electric customers across the northern third of Indiana.Hatches also will serve as CEO of NiSource’s other Indiana naturalgas distribution companies, Northern Indiana Fuel and Light, andKokomo Gas and Fuel. Hatches, 45, currently is president and CEO ofAlaska-based ENSTAR Natural Gas, a gas distribution subsidiary ofSEMCO ENERGY.

Dynegy Inc. announced that David Pope has been named presidentof Calgary-based Dynegy Canada. He will oversee Dynegy Canada’smarketing and trading of natural gas, crude oil, natural gasliquids and electricity. Before joining Dynegy, Pope was a vicepresident at Enron. Prior to Enron, he was founder and president ofCanadian Gas Marketing, which was acquired by Enron in 1992.

A new Office of Energy Projects will oversee the engineering andenvironmental review aspects of pipeline certificates, splitting”our economic and non-economic regulatory efforts,” FERC ChairmanJames Hoecker said.