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Just when it seemed the cash market was locked into an endless downward spiral, it found a plateau on which to level off Thursday. Flatness was the order of the day for most points, while others were mildly higher or lower. Spot points in California and the Pacific Northwest/Western Canada softened by about a nickel or a little more.

The cash market plunged Thursday in response to the latest reports of increased storage (both new and revised) and the screen’s subsequent dive Wednesday afternoon. Weather fundamentals remain generally lightweight and the latest Atlantic tropical storm was fizzling out almost as fast as it had developed.

The market eked out small increases Tuesday that generally were a nickel or less. A screen uptick of nearly a dime provided some upward momentum, sources said, but cash traders more likely were anticipating what is expected to be the smallest AGA storage injection report in many weeks.

Due to the increased natural gas demand in the country sparked by new gas-fired generation coming online, the United States is experiencing the largest wave of pipeline infrastructure expansion since the early 1960’s , according to a recent advisory from Industrial Information Resources Inc. (IIR). The consultant group said it expects 25,000 miles of gas transmission pipeline will be constructed by 2010 and an additional 13,000 miles by 2015, with estimates ranging up to 275,000 miles or more of distribution pipelines.

Due to the increased natural gas demand in the country sparked by new gas-fired generation coming online, the United States is experiencing the largest wave of pipeline infrastructure expansion since the early 1960’s , according to a recent advisory from Industrial Information Resources Inc. (IIR). The consultant group said it expects 25,000 miles of gas transmission pipeline will be constructed by 2010 and an additional 13,000 miles by 2015, with estimates ranging up to 275,000 miles or more of distribution pipelines.

As the Empire State scrambles to avoid the blackouts and price spikes seen in California, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) recently said it expects to be able to complete the lion’s share of its plan to install 11 gas turbine generators throughout various New York City boroughs by the end of this month.

Except for sizeable drops at non-Malin California points, the rest of the market managed to squeeze a bit more price firmness Thursday out of weather extremes ranging from unseasonably cool temperatures throughout much of the East and record-setting heat in parts of the West. Upticks in the East, Southwest basins and Pacific Northwest were quite mild, only rarely going above a nickel. The Rockies generally were up a dime or more, and Malin soared by well over a dollar.

The rumored exit of Sen. James M. Jeffords (R-VT) from the Republican Party would put the Democrats in majority control of the Senate for the first time since the early 1990s, handing them the chairmanship positions, including the reins over energy-related committees and subcommittees that have jurisdiction over key legislation and appointments.

If you thought natural gas prices were volatile last summer, you haven’t seen anything yet, according to Raymond James & Associates. During the peak heat of summer 2001, the company forecasts that gas prices will rise above $6/Mcf, and remain above the $5/Mcf mark in the longer term.