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Continuing to ramp up for a March 1 launch date, Nicor Gas said Wednesday that natural gas marketer participation in its Customer Select® program in Illinois is up to 11 suppliers. On March 1 the pilot program becomes permanent and Nicor Gas customers will be able to voluntarily choose their natural gas supplier. Customers who elect not to join the program can stay with Nicor Gas as their supplier.

With natural gas as its standard bearer and its sights set on the energy-starved East Coast, KeySpan Corp. announced it is now 8% ahead of its 2001 goal to add $60 million to its gross profit margin through gas conversions on Long Island and the Boston area, and is on target to reach about 90% of the home heating market in the Long Island region within the next few years. The company is now involved in four pipeline projects, and has set a goal to deliver almost 1 Bcf/d to the eastern suburbs of New York City.

With natural gas as its standard bearer and its sights set on the energy-starved East Coast, KeySpan Corp. announced it is now 8% ahead of its 2001 goal to add $60 million to its gross profit margin through gas conversions on Long Island and the Boston area, and is on target to reach about 90% of the home heating market in the Long Island region within the next few years. The company is now involved in four pipeline projects, and has set a goal to deliver almost 1 Bcf/d to the eastern suburbs of New York City.

American Electric Power highlighted the benefits of wholesale energy marketing in its second quarter financial results, which came in at $0.89 per share, an 85% increase from the same quarter in 2000. Wall Street had expected earning of 70-89 cents/share, with a consensus estimate of 78 cents/share, according to Thomson Financial/First Call. Revenue increased 78% to $14 billion.

In its quest to become the first nationally branded utility in the United States, TNPC Inc. – an alliance of Enron Corp., America Online and IBM – said that its initial public offering of 24 million common shares at $21 per share would net the company nearly $473 million to intensify its retail marketing efforts and build a customer base. The offering closes Wednesday.

In its quest to become the first nationally branded utility inthe United States, TNPC Inc. — an alliance of Enron Corp.,America Online and IBM — said yesterday that its initial publicoffering of 24 million common shares at $21 per share would net thecompany nearly $473 million to intensify its retail marketingefforts and build a customer base.

BetterMarkets Ltd. announced the success of the first real-timesimulation of its Internet-based trading platform, which will pavethe way for a global border-less exchange, said company founderDavid Rudd. “We expect this platform to revolutionize the wayforwards and other financial instruments are traded. It will makegeography irrelevant and allow trading on a 24-hour-a-day basis.”