Pilot

Williams has completed the expected sale of its retail petroleum travel center operations to Pilot Travel Centers LLC for $189 million, which will be added to a growing total of proceeds from assets sales that are expected to reach $2.5 billion this year compared to $3.9 billion in 2002. The travel center asset package includes 60 travel centers and their working inventories in 15 states. Williams’ only remaining retail petroleum presence consists of 29 convenience stores in Alaska that are being offered for sale in connection with the company’s planned divestiture of its North Pole, Alaska, refining operations. About 1,500 people were employed by the TravelCenters at the time the transaction closed. In addition to the travel centers sale, Williams also recently sold its ethanol business for $75 million, and has put Texas Gas Transmission on the auction block along with its stake in Williams Energy Partners and 20% of its gas reserves in its exploration and production unit.

Williams said it completed the expected sale of its retail petroleum travel center operations to Pilot Travel Centers LLC for $189 million, which will be added to a growing total of proceeds from assets sales that are expected to reach $2.5 billion this year compared to $3.9 billion in 2002.

Houston-based Dynegy Marketing and Trade has beat out some ofthe top natural gas producers in the nation in the latest round ofbidding for Minerals Management Service’s royalty-in kind gasproduced from federal leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Houston-based Dynegy Marketing and Trade has beat out some ofthe top natural gas producers in the nation in the latest round ofbidding for Minerals Management Service’s royalty-in kind gasproduced from federal leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Commonwealth Edison announced a voluntary pilot program thatwill automatically pay its customers if it fails to live up to itscommitment to reduce electric service interruptions, provide fasterservice restoration when outages do occur and deliver bettercommunication with customers and governmental bodies aboutservice-related issues. Developed in partnership with theMetropolitan Mayors Caucus and the City of Chicago, ComEd said itpledges to automatically pay business and residential customerswhose service has been interrupted as a result ofutility-controlled circumstances. Under the plan, qualifyingresidential and business customers will receive about the averageof one month’s electric service for each outage that exceeds eighthours or if they experience three or more outages, each of four ormore hours in length, during a two-month period. Business customerswould receive $100 credit on their account balance, whileresidential customers would receive a check for $60 for eachqualified outage. In addition, customers whose service isinterrupted for 12 hours or longer will automatically receive fullcredit of their monthly customer charge. Subsequent 12-hour outageswill result in an additional monthly credit for every outageincident. Payments will automatically be disbursed within 30 days,and do not require an additional call from the customer.

Atlanta Gas Light Co. (AGLC) launched a pilot program inQuitman, GA, to help the city develop and implement a structuredprocess to enhance its 33-mile gas operating system. Quitman, acity of approximately 5,300 in Brooks County near Valdosta insoutheast Georgia, is not served by AGLC. Service, during the testperiod, is scheduled to begin May 1. AGLC will provide operationsmaintenance support, corrosion control, development of a workmanagement plan, and gas accountability. AGLC also will develop andmanage a compliance inspection plan, including an initial corrosionevaluation. AGLC inspected Quitman’s operations in February.

Due to confusion over service area territory, 2,300 East OhioGas (EOG) customers wrongfully switched suppliers from the utilityto ACN Energy, the marketer admitted last week. A letter has beensent to the involved customers. No money changed hands and ACN hastaken responsibility for the mistake.

Due to confusion over service area territory, 2,300 East OhioGas (EOG) customers wrongfully switched suppliers from the utilityto ACN Energy, the marketer admitted earlier this week. A letterhas been sent to the involved customers. No money changed hands andACN has taken responsibility for the mistake.