Sign

Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) has called on FERC to put anend to El Paso Natural Gas’ alleged practice of over-booking firmprimary capacity at the SoCalGas/Topock delivery point inCalifornia. The distributor contends its own firm entitlements atthe delivery point have been cut between 25%-57% on a daily basisbecause of El Paso’s actions, and that it’s costing it nearly$46,000 a day.

The California Public Utilities Commission Thursday tookadditional action to build backfires against retail electricityprice shock by authorizing San Diego Gas and Electric to inkbilateral power supply deals outside of the state (Cal-PX)wholesale spot electricity market. In anticipation of CPUC action,SDG&E earlier had released a request for proposals, and willmost likely repeat that action, according to officials with SempraEnergy, SDG&E’s parent company.

Protesters won the opening skirmish, but still lost the firstbattle in a developing new war over expanding natural gas exportsbetween Canadian conservationists and energy consumers on theattacking side and the industry on the defense.

Could this be a trend or just a sign of growing pains? ReliantEnergy, the Houston-based electric utility and energy servicescompany, took the torch from Williams, which made a similarannouncement last week, and announced it will separate itsregulated and unregulated businesses into two publicly tradedcompanies.

Could this be a trend or just a sign of growing pains? ReliantEnergy, the Houston-based electric utility and energy servicescompany, took a hint from Williams’ move earlier this week, andannounced it will separate its regulated and unregulated businessesinto two publicly traded companies.

The northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin transportationmarkets, which have long been dominated by ANR Pipeline, moved onestep closer to obtaining pipeline-on-pipeline competition last weekwhen FERC awarded the proposed Guardian Pipeline LLC a favorablepreliminary determination on non-environmental issues.

The northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin gastransportation markets, which long have been dominated by ANRPipeline, moved one step closer to obtaining pipeline-on-pipelinecompetition yesterday when FERC awarded the proposed GuardianPipeline LLC a favorable preliminary determination onnon-environmental issues.

The final remaining maritime boundary treaty between Mexico andthe United States, which is expected to be signed by PresidentClinton and Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo this week, will giveMexico nearly two-thirds of a mineral-rich area that is thought tocontain huge amounts of untapped oil and gas. Known as the WesternGap, the area has served as a platform between both countries inthe western gap of the Gulf of Mexico, beyond the 200-mile rangethat officially defines national territories.

Enron Energy Services is on track to double its energymanagement agreements this year, announcing yesterday it had signeda 10-year agreement with Prudential Insurance of America. Termscall for Enron to supply or manage the supply of electricity andnatural gas, and provide related energy management services forPrudential’s 21 corporate-owned office buildings in Arizona,Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey andPennsylvania.