power

A survey conducted by Promark Research Corp. between Aug. 23-25,with subsequent data analysis by Baselice & Associatesdetermined that 95% of Pennsylvanians are aware that they can orwill soon be able to choose their electric generation supplier.It’s a huge improvement for the Pennsylvania program when comparedwith a June survey that showed awareness 15 percentage pointslower. Nationwide awareness of electric restructuring is about 40%,according to another survey by Yankee Energy.

Change in the electric industry will mirror what took place inthe gas industry following deregulation and the introduction ofcompetition, particularly with regard to trading, Enron PresidentJeffrey K. Skilling told attendees at Ernst &amp Young LLP’s ninthannual Energy Conference last week in Houston.

American Electric Power (AEP) and Central and South West (CSW)said a recommendation from an Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC)administrative law judge creates a procedural hurdle, but “does notquestion the merits of the merger” of the companies and should notdelay its completion.

Change in the electric industry will mirror what took place inthe gas industry following deregulation and the introduction ofcompetition, particularly with regard to trading, Enron PresidentJeffrey K. Skilling told attendees at Ernst & Young LLP’s ninthannual Energy Conference in Houston Tuesday.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Potomac Electric Power Co. (Pepco)has purchased the assets and operations of a Maryland-based gasretail marketing firm for an undisclosed amount. The transactiongives Pepco through its subsidiary, Pepco Services, the capabilityto offer for the first time natural gas to its commercial,institutional and industrial customers.

Western Resources and Kansas City Power & Light filed anamended application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionto approve the Western Resources-KCPL merger and the formation ofWestar Energy, a new electric company.

Shareowners of Western Resources and Kansas City Power &Light approved the merger of the companies to form Westar Energy.Approval required a majority of Western Resources common shares andtwo-thirds of KCPL outstanding common shares. About 98% of thevoting Western shares approved the transaction, representing 77% ofall shares outstanding. Nearly 94% of KCPL shares represented andvoting approved the transaction, representing 74.4% of alloutstanding KCPL shares.

In the first week of enrollment in Pennsylvania’s ElectricChoice Program, 1.1 million electric customers across the statesigned up to participate, the Pennsylvania Electric Associationsaid yesterday.

A California green power marketer has apparently fallen out offavor with at least some of its investors as evidenced by a classaction filed in the U.S. District Court in California on behalf ofKeystone Energy Services shareholders who acquired shares betweenNov. 14, 1997 and Feb. 3.