Ruling

Amid industry reports last week that Enron North American Corp.was actively trying to get out from under its recently-approvedlarge capacity contracts with El Paso Natural Gas, the pipelinesought a stay of the order in which FERC denied primary rights atthe prized Southern California Gas-Topock, AZ, delivery point fornearly half of the Enron affiliate’s contracted-for firmtransportation capacity.

Producer/marketer shippers on El Paso Natural Gas and Californiaregulators aren’t going to like FERC’s ruling on Enron NorthernAmerica Corp.’s 1.2 Bcf/d contract arrangement with the pipeline— it accepted the mega-deal and rejected most of their protests.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has remanded a PanhandleEastern Pipe Line decision that it says clearly departed fromFERC’s established policy on pipeline connections without providingany justification for the action.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals last week remanded orders in aPanhandle Eastern Pipe Line case that it says marked a cleardeparture from FERC’s established policy on pipeline interconnectswithout providing any justification for the action.

With Peachtree’s 170,000 customers hanging in the balance, anAtlanta, GA, bankruptcy court deferred a ruling on the strugglingmarketer’s attempted customer sale until today. According tosources close to the situation, the delay was caused by ScanaEnergy Marketing, which asked for more time so that it could file abid for Peachtree’s customers.

In response to a recent court ruling, the Michigan PublicService Commission (PSC) issued a decision this week affirming itsauthority to carry out its 1998 electricity restructuring orders ona voluntary basis with participating utilities.

Peoples Energy said it was “extremely disappointed” in orders byIllinois Commerce Commission (ICC) that would sharply reduce thegas rates the LDC and affiliate North Shore Gas could charge theircustomers under fixed-price plans filed last fall. The utilitiessaid they cannot accept the ICC rulings and informed the agencythat they will remain instead under their existing pricingstructure.

Virginia’s State Corporation Commission (SCC) said it plans to use the full 180 days allowed by Virginia law before ruling on Dominion Resources’ merger with CNG. The announcement was made just two weeks after CNG cited fewer potential regulatory problems as a main reason for selecting the Dominion bid over a hostile offer from Columbia Energy Group (See NGI, May 17). If the SCC takes the full 180 days, a decision would not be reached until Nov. 17.

Virginia’s State Corporation Commission (SCC) said it plans touse the full 180 days allowed by Virginia law before ruling onDominion Resources’ merger with CNG. The announcement was made justtwo weeks after CNG cited fewer potential regulatory problems as amain reason for selecting the Dominion bid over a hostile offerfrom Columbia Energy Group (See Daily GPI, May 13). If the SCCtakes the full 180 days, a decision would not be reached until Nov.17.