The staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Bureau ofEconomics and of Policy Planning said it generally supports theshort-term and long-term remedies that FERC has identified for theCalifornia power market but believes FERC should provide moreconcrete advice on how best to configure the organization that willoperate and control the transmission grid in the state. In commentsfiled with FERC this week, the FTC said FERC should considercreating a benchmark or a baseline of characteristics andoperations for regional transmission organizations that can be usedas a starting point as part of its revisions to California’swholesale electric power market rules and institutions. Inaddition, the comments suggest refinements to FERC’s proposedremedies to ensure that market power is not exercised in wholesaleelectric power markets, to the detriment of consumers. FERC OrderProposing Remedies for California Wholesale Electric Markets wasreleased Nov. 1 (see Daily GPI, Nov. 2). The order was intended toremedy deficiencies in market rules and institutions that havecontributed to recent reliability difficulties and high prices forelectric power in California.
Policy
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Stacey L. Gerard has been named associate administrator for theDepartment of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS). Shepreviously was director of the Office of Policy, Regulations andTraining in the OPS.
Gore’s Energy Plan Has Little for Producers
Democratic presidential hopeful Al Gore’s proposed long-termenergy policy has elicited a ho-hum response from independent oiland natural gas producers, who contend it “falls far short” oninitiatives needed to boost domestic energy production.
Gore’s Energy Plan Has Little for Producers
Democratic presidential hopeful Al Gore’s proposed long-termenergy policy has elicited a ho-hum response from independent oiland natural gas producers, who contend it “falls far short” oninitiatives needed to boost domestic energy production.
Policy Changes Expected to Continue in CA
Despite failing this summer to deliver several high-profileenergy restructuring corrective laws, California’s statelegislature is expected to be the focal point of future energypolicymaking again next year, with more involvement from thegovernor’s office, according to a variety of energy expertsaddressing a two-day industry workshop in San Francisco.
Puget’s Purchase Eliminates PURPA Contract
In an ongoing effort to reduce power costs from existing PublicUtilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) contracts, Puget SoundEnergy announced yesterday an agreement to buy a 160 MW gas-firedcogeneration plant in Bellingham, WA, from Encogen for $164million. Puget Sound said buying the facility eliminated its secondlargest PURPA contract, a deal which required it to pay Encogenfixed and escalating fees through mid-2008 for the plant’s output.
FERC Calls Conference on TriState
FERC has called on staff to convene a technical conference toreview various options to “resolve the jurisdictional and policyissues” posed by the proposed TriState Pipeline project. TheCommission issued an order calling for the conference after itfailed to act last week on TriState’s request for “expeditedrehearing” of a May decision in which it shelved theChicago-to-Dawn Hub project as proposed and suggested other optionsfor the sponsors to pursue.
FERC to Consider Sea Robin, OCS Regs, or Not
A decision on the remanded Sea Robin Pipeline case anddiscussion of policy changes in the way the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission regulates offshore pipelines both are on theagenda for Wednesday’s open meeting, but no one will be surprisedif they’re a no-show once again.
FERC Considers Sea Robin, OCS Regs
A decision on the remanded Sea Robin Pipeline case anddiscussion of policy changes in the way the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission regulates offshore pipelines both are on theagenda for Wednesday’s open meeting, but no one will be surprisedif they’re a no-show once again.
Commission Plans Second Auction Conference
FERC staff has scheduled a conference for Dec. 8th to addressall policy and technical issues associated with the Commission’sproposal to implement auctioning of pipeline capacity in theshort-term market.
