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A new study released earlier this week by the National EnergyMarketers Association (NEM), found that deregulating energy marketsare more competitive when incumbent utilities are not the defaultsupplier and the service charge billed to customers is “truly”representative of retail service.

As El Paso Energy sets about to become the biggest and best inpractically every sector of the natural gas and electric industry,its key gas pipeline subsidiary – El Paso Natural Gas – hasdistinguished itself on another front: it holds the record at FERCfor the most complaints filed against a single company.

Fueled by rapid growth in its unregulated energy businesses andstrong performances by electric and gas transmission operations,Duke Energy reported record earnings for 1999. Before interest andtaxes (EBIT), Duke posted a gain of $2.8 billion before a $660million after-tax gain on the sale of the Midwest Pipelines and aone-time charge of $800 million at Duke Power. EBIT for 1998 was$2.6 billion. Duke Energy set another record for revenues in 1999,reaching $21.7 billion. Fourth quarter revenues increased 48%.

The state of New Jersey, scene of a massive natural gas pipeline explosion five years ago, has launched an attack on Transco’s MarketLink project — which had no connection with the blast — demanding more stringent safety requirements on interstate pipelines and additional proof there is a need for added pipeline capacity.

The state of New Jersey, scene of a massive natural gas pipelineexplosion five years ago, has launched an attack on Transco’sMarketLink project – which had no connection with the blast -demanding more stringent safety requirements on interstatepipelines and additional proof there is a need for added pipelinecapacity.

Gov. Bill Owens recently signed Colorado’s gas deregulationbill, SB99-153, opening the door for voluntary unbundling by thestate’s gas utilities. The question now is how many utilities willwalk through the opening?

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission finalized rules forfull customer choice, setting the procedure for all of the state’s5.2 million electric customers to choose suppliers.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission finalized rules forfull customer choice, setting the procedure by which all of thestate’s 5.2 million electric customers can choose suppliers.

Shell Energy Services LLC is offering Georgia retail customers aweatherproof bill for their gas purchases. The bill sets flatmonthly charges for consumers’ natural gas bills, which Shellguarantees for a full 12 months. The program is different fromother “budget” billing plans, Shell said, because there is noyear-end adjustment or “true-up,” no matter how cold it gets in thewinter. For a limited time, consumers may sign up for the ShellEnergy WeatherProof(SM) Bill by calling 1-877-56-SHELL or byvisiting the Shell Energy Web site at www.shellenergy.com. Afterthey provide qualifying information, customers are told exactly howmuch their monthly natural gas bill will be for the next 12 months.The calculation is based on a computer program analysis ofmulti-decade weather patterns for their respective regions ofGeorgia. The analysis is combined with the 12-month historicalnatural gas usage at the consumer’s residence and the then-currentguaranteed rate per therm-now 39 cents for Shell Energy naturalgas.