Panel

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed S.1950, the Powder River Basin Resource Development Act, by a voicevote last week. Wyoming Sens. Craig Thomas and Mike Enzi said itprovides for the fair and expeditious resolution of conflictsbetween oil and gas producers and coal producers with overlappingleases in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and southern Montana.

Despite the fact that it has been awarded similar contracts, GasNatural Mexico charged last week that Mexico’s anti-trustcommission will not allow it to participate in an auction for amulti-million dollar natural gas distribution contract. Thecontract, scheduled to be awarded on June 21 by the ComisionReguladora de Energia (CRE), calls for a $100 million investment inthe heavily populated Guadalajara metropolitan area. Nearly 4million live there, and the Guadalajara contract will be one of thelargest issued by the government for natural gas distribution.

The U.S. Senate Energy Committee passed S. 1950, the PowderRiver Basin Resource Development Act, by a voice vote yesterday.Sens. Craig Thomas and Mike Enzi (R-WY) said it provides for thefair and expeditious resolution of conflicts between oil and gasproducers and coal producers with overlapping leases in the PowderRiver Basin in Wyoming and southern Montana.

A panel of energy buyers at GasMart/Power 2000 agreed last weekoutsourcing energy management is still on the upswing as end usersstrive to avoid complexity and save money.

A panel of energy buyers at GasMart/Power 2000 agreedoutsourcing energy management is still on the upswing as end usersstrive to avoid complexity and save money.

A three-member arbitration panel ruled that Oglethorpe PowerCorp.’s power marketing contract with LG&E Energy Corp. andLG&E Energy Marketing Inc. is valid and must be honored.LG&E began its challenge to the contract in 1998. The companysaid the decision will cause it to increase its fourth quarterafter-tax accrued loss on disposal of discontinued operations by$175 million. The loss stems from increased load demands, higherthan anticipated future commodity prices and other factors. Theincrease in the loss reserve will be recorded in discontinuedoperations.

A three-member arbitration panel ruled that Oglethorpe PowerCorp.’s power marketing contract with LG&E Energy Corp. andLG&E Energy Marketing Inc. is valid and must be honored.LG&E began its challenge to the contract in 1998. The companysaid the decision will cause it to increase its fourth quarterafter-tax accrued loss on disposal of discontinued operations by$175 million. The loss stems from increased load demands, higherthan anticipated future commodity prices and other factors. Theincrease in the loss reserve will be recorded in discontinuedoperations.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last weekreadily voted out the renomination of Commissioner Curt Hebert Jr.to a new five-year term at the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission. The reappointment is now headed to the full Senate,which could confirm it as early as this week.