Reaches

After months of inconclusive sparring, TransCanada PipeLinesLtd. and its shippers have reached a truce by agreeing to negotiaterather than fight over ways to adapt to the onset of competition inCanadian natural-gas transportation.

Seeking to put a positive spin on the state’s first foray intolong-term bulk electricity contracts, Gov. Gray Davis Tuesdayannounced that the state has reached agreement for the commercialterms on an unspecified number of contracts between the state waterresources department and bulk power suppliers, with volumes phasingupward from 500 to 5,000 MW over several years.

National Fuel Gas Co. announced yesterday that it has reached arate settlement agreement with the staff of the Department ofPublic Service, the Consumer Protection Board and multiple otherinterveners. The New York Public Service Commission approved theagreement at its regular session on Oct. 11.

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

Tri-Valley Corp.’s “Project Ekho” exploration program in KernCounty, CA, reached its final depth of 19,100 feet Wednesday.Project backers now begin a 30- to 60-day period of self-imposedsilence to review drilling logs and records before continuing todevelop significant new supplies of oil and gas at thesub-15,000-foot levels in the extensively drilled central SanJoaquin Valley.

Interest in finally tapping natural gas on the northernfrontiers of North America reaches into the inner circles ofWashington, the Canadian supply community has learned.

Preparing to say farewell to the retail side of its business,Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) announced yesterday it will refund $34million to its former retail customers. The $26 per customer refundwill be issued by the 13 marketers in AGL’s service territoryduring the May/June billing cycle. It will be noted on customers’bills as a “GA PSC Ordered Credit,” which will be deducted from thetotal amount owed for service for the particular billing period.

The nation’s biggest municipal utility, the City of Los AngelesDepartment of Water and Power, has signed 27 of its largestcustomers to discount contracts valued collectively at $1.2 billionover their seven- and 10-year lives. The deals represent about 8%of the departments electricity sales which are projected to be 25GWh this year, according to Randy Howard, LADWP’s manager of thelong-term contracts.