Resulting

Consumers are expected to consume more natural gas at a higher price to heat their homes this winter, resulting in a 10% hike in household gas bills over last winter, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last Tuesday in its Short-Term Outlook for October and Winter Fuels Outlook. The American Gas Association (AGA) separately reported that the level of natural gas supply going into the winter is good.

Consumers are expected to consume more natural gas at a higher price to heat their homes this winter, resulting in a 10% hike in household gas bills over last winter, according to the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Outlook for October and Winter Fuels Outlook.

Pacific Gas & Electric will end Thursday a systemwide high-inventory OFO that was implemented Tuesday.

Making a small break with the energy crisis shackles resulting from the 2000-2001 wholesale energy market meltdown, California regulators last Thursday agreed to examine the feasibility of resuming direct-access retail deals in the electricity sector. The five-member California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted a petition from pro-retail choice group Alliance for Retail Energy Markets (AREM).

Despite independent and government forecasts that called for a very active 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, the resulting slightly below-average activity — which was welcomed by the southern U.S. coastline as well as Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producers — was blamed on a late-developing El Nino and increased dryness in the tropical Atlantic, according to William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University forecast team.

Despite all of the independent and government forecasts that were calling for a very active 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, the resulting slightly below average activity — which was welcomed by the southern U.S. coastline as well as Gulf of Mexico oil and gas producers — was blamed on a late-developing El Nino and increased dryness in the tropical Atlantic, according to William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University forecast team.

Some parts of the North American natural gas storage system may reach their operational limits this fall, resulting in “abrupt decreases” in gas prices as some storage fields are unable to receive injections, according to an analysis by Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) that was released Monday.

Avista Corp.’s board of directors will ask company shareholders to approve a change to Avista’s corporate structure, resulting in the formation of a holding company whose name is yet to be finalized. The holding company would be the parent of Avista Utilities and all other Avista subsidiaries, Avista said last week.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said that some energy suppliers and wholesale power marketers are manipulating the energy markets in Massachusetts, resulting in higher electricity prices for customers across the state. Reilly, who singled out Sempra Energy, called on the state Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) and ISO New England to take immediate actions to stop the alleged practices.