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In an about face from an earlier recommendation that the sale of Portland General Electric (PGE) to Oregon Electric Utility Co. (OEUC) be denied, staff at the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) now says that the deal should be approved provided that a host of conditions are met, including a $75 million rate credit spread out over five years.

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) should lead the development of risk-informed land use guidance for future pipeline construction in the face of increasing urbanization and the projected need for many additional miles of energy fuels pipelines, according to a report issued recently by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.

The staff of the Oregon Public Utility Commission last Wednesday released its preliminary recommendation opposing the sale of Enron Corp.’s Portland General Electric (PGE) utility subsidiary to a private investment group headed by The Texas Pacific Group as currently proposed. The staff finds no benefits and increased risks from the sale.

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) should lead the development of risk-informed land use guidance for future pipeline construction in the face of increasing urbanization and the projected need for many additional miles of energy fuels pipelines, according to a report by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.

The director of financial analysis for the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) recommended last week that $1.95 billion be trimmed from a $4.43 billion request by a CenterPoint Energy Inc. to recover the costs of stranded power plants, environmental controls and transition.

A FERC administrative law judge (ALJ) last week recommended that the full Commission approve settlement agreements separately reached between FERC trial staff and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. (SDG&E) and American Electric Power (AEP) resolving allegations that the two utilities tried to manipulate California’s power markets in 2000-2001.

A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report has recommended the Interior Department seek legislation authorizing closer controls for its Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) over oil and gas drilling in national wildlife refuges.

A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report has recommended the Interior Department seek legislation authorizing closer controls for its Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) over oil and gas drilling in national wildlife refuges.

A FERC Administrative Law Judge last Tuesday recommended that Enron Corp. be fined $32.5 million for violating federal laws during the western power crisis in 2000-2001. Judge Carmen Cintron also reiterated in her initial decision that Enron’s wholesale electricity trading license be revoked after reviewing testimony that indicated Enron had violated Section 205(c) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).