Reins

Samuel Bodman, who was confirmed by unanimous consent as energy secretary earlier this week, officially took over the reins at the Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) last Thursday was approved by unanimous consent as the new chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, succeeding Rep. W.J. “Billy” Tauzin (R-LA) who relinquished the top spot in mid-February.

As was widely expected, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) on Thursday was approved by unanimous consent as the new chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. He replaces Rep. W.J. “Billy” Tauzin (R-LA), who gave up the position earlier this month.

While praising its safety record and consistently high government ratings, President Bush wants tighter financial controls for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in place by Sept. 30 to reduce its burgeoning debt and improve its stature in the competitive electric marketplace.

In his first appearance before the Natural Gas Roundtable since taking over the reins at FERC a year ago, Chairman Pat Wood said last Thursday that “by and large” the Commission’s job of establishing competitive natural gas markets was already done, and that its task now was to make sure the high level of competitiveness in the markets continued. Toward that aim, he announced the agency plans to hold its first ‘State of the Gas Markets’ conference in late October to explore gas supply and demand issues.

In his first appearance before the Natural Gas Roundtable since taking over the reins at FERC a year ago, Chairman Pat Wood said Thursday that “by and large” the Commission’s job in establishing competitive natural gas markets was already done, and that its task now was to ensure that the high level of competitiveness in the markets continued. Toward that aim, he announced the agency plans to hold its first ‘State of the Gas Markets’ conference in late October to explore gas supply and demand issues.

On the same day that he was handed the reins of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) said that bipartisan legislation directing FERC to set cost-based rates to ensure just and reasonable wholesale energy prices in California could get consideration from the panel within the next couple of weeks. Separately, newly-minted Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) made it clear earlier this week that he stands ready to support such legislation if FERC falls short of meeting its just and reasonable obligations.

As he prepares to take the reins of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) last week said that he does not believe that writing price caps into law should be the first response of Congress to out-of-control wholesale electricity prices seen in California in recent months. Instead, the New Mexico senator argued that Congress should be calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to fulfill its responsibilities to ensure just and reasonable wholesale power rates.

Commissioner William Massey will take over the reins at FERCwhen Chairman James J. Hoecker steps down this week after more thanseven years at the agency. His term will begin Jan. 19.