Rejected

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, Monday rejected petitions that either directly or indirectly challenged a FERC policy statement allowing regulated energy companies, such as crude oil and natural gas pipelines and public utilities, that are partnerships to recover actual or potential income tax liability in their cost-of-service rates.

In a stunning defeat, the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) last week unanimously rejected an Australian company’s $2.2 billion bid to buy NorthWestern Energy. The PSC said the purchase would put Montana consumers at risk for higher rates and poor service.

FERC last Thursday rejected as “premature” a request to revise a final rule requiring regulated companies to quickly report damage caused by a “natural disaster or terrorist activity” that curtails natural gas pipeline throughput or storage deliverability.

FERC Thursday rejected as “premature” a request to revise a final rule requiring regulated companies to quickly report damage caused by a “natural disaster or terrorist activity” that curtails natural gas pipeline throughput or storage deliverability.

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday rejected a filing by PG&E Corp., clearing the way for the California attorney general’s lawsuit to proceed in a state Superior Court in San Francisco regarding allegations the holding company for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. illegally confiscated $5 billion from the utility prior to utility’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2001. The High Court refused to consider the PG&E arguments that the state attorney general could only press the case through the U.S. bankruptcy court process.

Alaska House Speaker John Harris rejected Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski’s plea that lawmakers return for a third special session, which apparently puts the Alaska natural gas pipeline project on hold until after a new governor is elected in November.

New Orleans-based Energy Partners Ltd. (EPL) Thursday rejected an $883 million unsolicited bid from Woodside Petroleum Ltd. subsidiary ATS Inc. Energy Partners said the $23/share cash offer was inadequate and opportunistic. The company recommended shareholders not tender their shares and adopted a shareholder rights plan, or poison pill, to thwart Woodside’s advance.

FERC has rejected Northern Natural Gas Co.’s bid to sell 419 miles of natural gas pipelines and associated compression facilities in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma to Duke Energy Field Services LP. FERC took this action after denying Duke Energy’s request that the facilities be declared nonjurisdictional gathering.

New Orleans-based Energy Partners Ltd. (EPL) Thursday rejected an $883 million unsolicited bid from Woodside Petroleum Ltd. subsidiary ATS Inc. Energy Partners said the $23/share cash offer was inadequate and opportunistic. The company recommended shareholders not tender their shares.