Reality

PG&E Corp. moved another step closer to full approval of its proposed natural gas-fired 1,040 MW natural gas-fired plant to be located in Maricopa County, AZ. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a special use permit for the pending electric generation facility to be positioned near Phoenix.

Kinder Morgan’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL)moved a step closer to fulfilling its year-and-a-half-old promiseto FERC yesterday, with the announcement that Akili, an e-businesscompany, has moved into an application and development phase of theonline capacity auction project for the pipeline system. The targetcompletion date of the auction application is mid-March, Akilisaid.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge signed House Bill 1331 last Tuesday, deregulating many aspects of the states gas industry and paving the way for statewide customer choice to begin Nov. 1.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge signed House Bill 1331 Tuesday,deregulating many aspects of the state gas industry and paving theway for statewide customer choice to begin Nov. 1.

Dynegy recently announced construction plans for two separate500 MW facilities in the Southeast, making a reality of its promiseto increase its power asset portfolio in the area. With thesefacilities, one located in Heard County, GA and the other locatedin Oldham County, KY, Dynegy will increase its Southeast energyassets from three to five.

Dynegy is making a reality of its promise to increase its powerasset portfolio in the Southeast by announcing construction plansfor two separate 500 MW facilities in the past seven days. Lastweek, Dynegy announced a local commission approved plans toconstruct a plant in Heard County, GA. Yesterday, the company saidit gained approval from a local court to build the BluegrassGeneration facility in Oldham County, KY. With the Kentuckyfacility, Dynegy will own or have interest in five power plants inthe Southeast.

With bipartisan and Administration support, legislation craftedby the Wyoming Congressional delegation to give coalbed methaneleaseholders and production companies some relief from a recentappellate court decision won rapid and unanimous approval by theSenate Energy Committee last Wednesday. The bill, S.2500, isexpected to be taken up by the full Senate at any time, and thebill’s language also is expected to become part of a manager’samendment to the Interior Department’s appropriations bill, whichmust be approved before the end of the session next month.

Canadian approvals are expected to fall into place within thenext three months after the U.S. leg of the Alliance PipelineProject earned its environmental seal from FERC last week. “Thisputs us firmly on track,” Alliance spokesman Jay Godfrey said.FERC’s approval of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS)firmed up a schedule that – following a one-year delay due to aprolonged fight before Canada’s National Energy Board – calls forconstruction of the C$3.7-billion (US$2.6-billion), 1.3 Bcf/dpipeline to start next spring. That will be in time for completionand a start on deliveries in the fall of 2000, Godfrey said.