Passed

The Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control finallypassed down its much-delayed approval of Consolidated Edison’s(CEI) acquisition of Northeast Utilities (NU). The problem is,neither company, nor the state’s attorney general, is markingDPUC’s heavily conditional approval in the win column.

Bills passed last week by the California legislature capping rates for small and medium-sized San Diego Gas & Electric customers through 2003 and speeding up siting of new power plants were the latest in a two-week series of events aimed at rescuing the state from its power market crisis.

The full Senate passed by unanimous consent a stand-aloneelectric reliability bill late last week, while House CommerceCommittee Thomas Bliley (R-VA) moved ahead full throttle with plansto mark up a comprehensive power bill and bring it to the Housefloor before the end of July.

A House subcommittee last week passed a resolution citing threemembers of a public watchdog group for refusing to respond toquestions about payments it allegedly made to two federal officialsinvolved in oil royalty policy.

A House subcommittee last week passed a resolution citing threemembers of a public watchdog group for refusing to respond toquestions about payments they made to two federal officialsinvolved in oil royalty policy.

The full Senate passed by unanimous consent a stand-aloneelectric reliability bill late last week, while House CommerceCommittee Chairman Thomas Bliley (R-VA) moved ahead full throttlewith plans to mark up a comprehensive power bill and bring it tothe House floor before the end of July.

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.

The Texas Railroad Commission passed a sweeping measure lastweek that for the first time in the state’s history dramaticallyoverhauls how the state handles abandoned oil and gas wells. At thecore of the plan is a requirement that financial assurance, such asa bond or a letter of credit, be in place for a well entering itsthird year of inactivity.

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.