Maryland Governor Parris N. Glendening signed into law electricderegulation legislation and related tax bills. The legislationenables the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to moveforward on the details of how the state’s power industry will bederegulated. “I am pleased that the legislature responded to myproposal to include a mandated rate reduction for Marylandresidential homeowners in the bill to protect consumers fromunintended rate increases,” Glendening said in an earlier statementregarding the bill. “Frankly, I wish the reduction was more than3%. I also wish that stronger environmental provisions had beenincluded. The General Assembly has strongly indicated, however,that they believe this proposal is the best that can beaccomplished, and this bill is too important for Maryland’s futureto hold up further.” The law will phase in residential customerchoice over a three-year period beginning with one-third ofresidential customers July 1, 2000. Residential customers choosingto keep their utility as supplier would get rate cuts between 3%and 7.5% to be determined by the PSC. The rate cuts would last fouryears and then rates would be deregulated. Six utilities serveMaryland, including Allegheny Power, Baltimore Gas and Electric,Conectiv, Potomac Electric Power, Choptank Electric Cooperative,and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative.
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Partnership Building TX Power Plant
Panda Energy International Inc. and PSEG Americas, part ofPublic Service Enterprise Group, announced 50-50 joint ventureTexas Independent Energy to develop and operate high efficiency,low-cost electric power generating plants in Texas.
Equitable Files for Cut in Customers’ Bills
Equitable Gas Co. filed a gas cost adjustment with thePennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Thursday which, ifapproved, will result in a 9% reduction in customers’ monthlybills. The rate cuts would be effective Oct. 1. The PUC did notdisclose when it would review the filing.
Oregon PUC Staff Calls for Major NWNG Rate Cut
The staff of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) gaveNorthwest Natural Gas (NWNG) quite a beating this week in a generalrate case. The staff recommended a revenue reduction of $19.9million per year from the gas utility’s operations in Oregon. NWNGhad requested a revenue increase of $14.7 million per year.
PG&E Files Electric Rate Cutting Plan
Pacific Gas and Electric applied to the California PublicUtilities Commission (CPUC) to reduce electric rates at the end ofthe electric rate freeze, but no later than March 31, 2002. Thestate law that governs the restructuring of California’selectricity market, AB 1890, gave residential and small businesscustomers a 10% rate reduction on Jan. 1, 1998 and froze rates atthat level. The state law also provided investor-owned utilities atransition period to recover stranded costs. That transition periodends March 31, 2002, or when the past investment costs have beenrecovered, whichever comes first. At that time, the rate reductionswill go into effect.
Georgia PSC Undecided about Customer Assignment
Despite three of Atlanta Gas Light’s nine gas customer poolssurpassing the Georgia Public Service Commission’s (GPSC)requirements to become fully competitive, the GPSC is uncertainabout moving forward with the customer assignment process becauseof planned legislation that would declare Atlanta Gas Light’s (AGL)entire service territory competitive possibly as early as thisfall.
Georgia PSC Holds Back Customer Assignment
Despite three of Atlanta Gas Light’s nine gas customer poolssurpassing the Georgia Public Service Commission’s (GPSC)requirements to become fully competitive, the GPSC has decided notto move forward with the customer assignment process because ofplanned legislation that would declare Atlanta Gas Light’s (AGL)entire service territory competitive possibly as early as thisfall.
Southern to Increase Non-Utility Investments
Southern Co. is seeking a Securities and Exchange Commissionwaiver of Public Utility Holding Company Act rules so it can doubleits already massive investment program in nonregulated powergeneration assets primarily in North America over the next fewyears.
NYSEG Requests Conference On NUG Contracts
New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) has asked FERC and theNew York State Public Service Commission (PSC) to hold a jointtechnical conference on utility power purchase agreements withnonutility generators (NUGs) as soon as possible. Eight statelawmakers sent a letter to FERC Chairman James Hoecker on thematter last fall, but action was never taken, a NYSEG spokesmannoted.
Accusations Fly in AGL Overcharging Case
Atlanta Gas Light Co. (AGL) responded harshly yesterday to a report filed Tuesday by members of the Georgia Public Service Commission (GPSC) adversary staff, heating up an already steamy debate over AGL’s rates.
