Plate

Even with the “full plate” of terrorist-related issues, appropriations bills and concerns about the economy confronting the Senate now, it should be able to act on the White House’s latest intended nominee for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Joseph T. Kelliher, before it adjourns for the year, a Senate committee press aide said. At the same time, the administration’s choice of Kelliher, a senior policy advisor at the Department of Energy, for FERC received high marks on Capitol Hill and from the energy industry.

California legislators and regulators returned to work after the Easter holiday with a full plate of actions pending in the state’s electricity crisis, including the implementation of last week’s agreement between the governor and Southern California Edison Co. Meanwhile, the negative fallout from the utilities’ credit-worthiness problems continues to add pressure for faster state action.

After 18 months in the making, FERC yesterday unveiled itsmuch-anticipated mega-rule that tackles a full plate of post-Order636 reforms designed to promote greater efficiency and fairness inan ever-changing natural gas market.

FERC will address the remaining gas policy changes on its platebefore the end of the year, Chairman James J. Hoecker said lastweek, confirming what other commissioners have indicated recently.But some of the side dishes originally on the menu probably willnot show up at the table because most of the industry found themindigestible, Hoecker told attendees at the 55th annual meeting ofthe Interstate Natural Gas Association of America in Aventura, FL.A more market-oriented approach to regulation apparently is a tastethe industry and the Commission will have to acquire over time.

FERC will address the remaining gas policy changes on its platebefore the end of the year, Chairman James J. Hoecker saidyesterday, confirming what other commissioners have indicatedrecently. But some of the main dishes originally on the menuprobably will not show up at the table because most of the industryfound them indigestible, Hoecker told attendees at the 55th annualmeeting of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America inAventura, FL.

As if its plate weren’t already full, “the market” received another East-bound pipeline project to “sort out” with the announcement of El Paso Energy’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline and Consolidated Natural Gas’ CNG Transmission Atlantic Alliance Project. Atlantic Alliance would transport up to 750,000 Dth/d from the Chicago market center and the Niagara Import Point in upstate New York into eastern markets.