Preceding

The cost of PacifiCorp’s failed attempt to buy Britain’s TheEnergy Group showed up in its first quarter earnings report. Thecompany reported first quarter 1998 earnings on common stock of$104 million, or 35 cents/share, excluding $70 million charge forU.S. job cuts, and a $54 million charge for the terminated bid forEnergy Group. Including these charges, the Company reported a losson common stock of $20 million, or 7 cents/share.

As expected, Consolidated Natural Gas’ (CNG) decision to exitthe wholesale marketing business showed up in first quarterresults. Warm weather and lower wellhead prices also took some ofthe blame for the reduced earnings. CNG reported 1998 first quarteroperating income down $35 million, or about $0.31/share. Net incomewas down $94 million, or $0.92/share.

MichCon announced plans yesterday to give all of its 1.2 millionretail gas customers a choice of suppliers over the next threeyears. The Detroit-based distributor filed an application with theMichigan Public Service Commission for the program earlier thisweek. It is designed to begin next January with 225,000 customers.The plan also would reduce gas costs by 7% to $2.95/Mcf and freezethem for three years for those customers who continue to useMichCon as their gas provider.

The less-than-sensational first quarter earnings reported byPacific Enterprises, holding company of Southern California Gas,were reflective of the thinner margins that have so farcharacterized the transition to restructured energy markets fornatural gas and electricity. In brief, the regulated utility isproducing all of the earnings; the unregulated businesses are stillproducing only red ink.

The Williams Companies reported first-quarter 1998 results werereduced primarily by costs related to its MAPCO acquisition,unfavorable conditions in some energy market sectors and continuedinvestment in the company’s communications business.

Consolidated Natural Gas (CNG) blamed thin margins for its exitfrom wholesale marketing and trading to focus on retail. The shiftin strategy comes on the heels of the March announcement CNG willtake a $20 to $25 million loss in Energy Services to close outelectricity positions. The move could herald the beginning of amarketer shakeout, noted one analyst.

Natural Gas Clearinghouse’s (NGC) decision earlier this month topost 40% of its San Juan-to-California capacity on El Paso NaturalGas for release appeared “at first blush” to be a “magnanimousgesture” on the marketer’s part, but it was far from that, said anenergy consultant.

Duke Energy Field Services further expanded its South Texasgathering and processing assets with the acquisition of theBrooks-Hidalgo Pipeline System from subsidiaries of Aquila Energyand Mitchell Energy effective April 1.

Warmer-than-normal weather caused Columbia Energy Group toreport first-quarter 1998 net income down from the same period lastyear. Results in the company’s marketing business were off sharplydue mainly to expenses.