Quick

There will be no quick remedy for restarting one of the units at idled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in Southern California following a recent decision by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) that a public hearing will be required on a request from SONGS’s operator Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) to partially restart Unit 2. This follows utility warnings that without a restart this year of the one unit, a decision may have to be made by the end of this year on whether SONGS will be retired (see Daily GPI, May 2). There is now a 25-day period for appeal of the board’s decision. As the largest baseload source of electric generation in Southern California with 2,200 MW, the loss of SONGS would require other types of generation, including more natural gas-fired capacity and various efficiency programs, particularly in the summer (see Daily GPI, March 26; Feb. 28). SCE, which is the majority owner/operator of SONGS, had been hoping to obtain swift approval to restart at 70% capacity Unit 2. Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas and Electric Co. owns 20% of SONGS and a Riverside, CA, municipal utility holds about 3%.

FERC Thursday proposed new optional notice procedures for intrastate and Hinshaw natural gas pipelines that would allow them to obtain quick approval of filings on rates and operating conditions without an agency order.

FERC Thursday proposed new optional notice procedures for intrastate and Hinshaw natural gas pipelines that would allow them to obtain quick approval of filings on rates and operating conditions without an agency order.

Given the growing uncertainty concerning an idle nuclear power plant in Southern California, state energy officials Wednesday emphasized the quick response to power load spikes of a new natural gas-fired peaking plant that they approved unanimously.

Following the abrupt departure of Forest Oil Corp. (FST) CEO H. Craig Clark, one analyst that follows the company suggested that his quick exit was related to the company’s failure to strike a joint venture (JV) in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas.

There will be no quick replacement for Tom Doll, who resigned as Wyoming Oil and Gas Supervisor suddenly last week (see Shale Daily, June 18), according to a spokesperson for Gov. Matt Mead. The governor and the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission are working out the details of the search for a replacement, the spokesperson told NGI’s Shale Daily.

A new proposal in Pennsylvania aims to protect natural gas gathering lines in the quick growing Marcellus Shale region from accidentally getting damaged during excavation.

In what has been a tumultuous period for the energy sector, second quarter earnings reports, which will be issued at a quick clip beginning on Monday, undoubtedly will be scrutinized in the days ahead as stakeholders look for some breathing room.

In what has been a tumultuous period for the energy sector, second quarter earnings reports, which will be issued at a quick clip beginning Monday, undoubtedly will be scrutinized in the days ahead as stakeholders look for some breathing room.