Tejon Ranch Co. signed an agreement with Enron Capital &Trade Resources Corp. to develop a power plant on its property atthe southernmost end of the San Joaquin Valley at the base of theTehachapi Mountains. The site is strategic because of the proximityof the California Aqueduct, existing major transmission lines, andthe Kern River-Mojave gas pipeline.
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Maryland Passes Electric Choice Legislation
Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening signed an electric restructuringbill and related tax measures into law last Thursday less than aweek after the Maryland General Assembly passed the legislation.The new law will phase in residential customer choice over athree-year period beginning with one-third of residential customersJuly 1, 2000. Residential customers choosing to keep their utilityas supplier would get rate cuts of 3% to 7.5% to be determined bythe Public Service Commission. The rate cuts would last four yearsand then rates would be deregulated.
New Mexico Getting Electric Customer Choice
New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson signed into law a bill opening thestate’s electric power market to consumer choice beginning in 2001.
Industry Briefs
Maryland Governor Parris N. Glendening signed into law electricderegulation legislation and related tax bills. The legislationenables the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) to moveforward on the details of how the state’s power industry will bederegulated. “I am pleased that the legislature responded to myproposal to include a mandated rate reduction for Marylandresidential homeowners in the bill to protect consumers fromunintended rate increases,” Glendening said in an earlier statementregarding the bill. “Frankly, I wish the reduction was more than3%. I also wish that stronger environmental provisions had beenincluded. The General Assembly has strongly indicated, however,that they believe this proposal is the best that can beaccomplished, and this bill is too important for Maryland’s futureto hold up further.” The law will phase in residential customerchoice over a three-year period beginning with one-third ofresidential customers July 1, 2000. Residential customers choosingto keep their utility as supplier would get rate cuts between 3%and 7.5% to be determined by the PSC. The rate cuts would last fouryears and then rates would be deregulated. Six utilities serveMaryland, including Allegheny Power, Baltimore Gas and Electric,Conectiv, Potomac Electric Power, Choptank Electric Cooperative,and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative.
CA’s First Merchant Plant Nears Starting Gate
Although gas supply and power contracts probably won’t be signeduntil next year, California’s first major merchant generation plantis expected to get its final state regulatory approval next weekand break ground this summer north of Sacramento in Sutter Countynear the agricultural town of Yuba City. A set of environmentalconcessions by the project sponsor, San Jose, CA-based CalpineCorp., pushed it into the lead spot among seven other projectsundergoing the state regulatory approval process. Projectfinancing, gas supply contracts and power supply deals will all bewrapped up in the second and third quarters of 2000, according toCalpine’s Sutter project manager, Curt Hildebrand.
Transco to Provide Gas to Dynegy Plant
Dynegy Inc. project affiliate Rockingham Power L.L.C. signed along-term gas interconnection agreement with Williams’ Transcopipeline. Williams’ interconnection will provide capacity for up to222 MMcf/d to fuel Dynegy’s proposed 800-megawatt (MW) generationfacility in Rockingham County, NC. Construction on theinterconnection is scheduled to be completed in December. “Naturalgas power generation is increasing and we look forward toadditional opportunities to expand our pipeline system to meet thisgrowing demand,” said Frank Ferazzi, vice president of customerservice and rates, Williams Gas Pipeline-Transco.
Transco to Provide Gas to Dynegy Plant
Dynegy Inc. project affiliate Rockingham Power L.L.C. signed along-term gas interconnection agreement with Williams’ Transcopipeline. Williams’ interconnection will provide capacity for up to222 MMcf/d to fuel Dynegy’s proposed 800-megawatt (MW) generationfacility in Rockingham County, NC. Construction on theinterconnection is scheduled to be completed in December. “Naturalgas power generation is increasing and we look forward toadditional opportunities to expand our pipeline system to meet thisgrowing demand,” said Frank Ferazzi, vice president of customerservice and rates, Williams Gas Pipeline-Transco.
Partners Developing Gas-to-Liquids Technology
Rentech Inc. of Denver signed an exclusive agreement withPhoenix Gas Systems LLC (PGS) of Long Beach, CA, to develop amodular system to produce liquid hydrocarbons from gas and othercarbon-bearing materials. Rentech developed a process to convertgas, solid, and liquid carbon-bearing materials into super-clean,high-value fuels, products and chemicals. Products includesulfur-free, aromatic free diesel fuel (Ecodiesel), naphtha andwaxes. The process is known as the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process orGas-to-Liquids (GTL). The naphtha and diesel fuel produced areideal fuels for the “advanced fuel cell” concept currently beingdeveloped for use in transport and utility vehicles.
Industry Briefs
Pennaco Energy and TransMontaigne Inc. subsidiary Bear PawEnergy signed a gathering agreement in which Bear Paw will buildand operate a new gathering line in the Powder River Basin ofnortheastern Wyoming and provide services to about 10% of Pennaco’scoal-bed methane program in the basin. The agreement covers thePennaco “South Gillette,” WY contract area, including over 8,600gross leasehold acres and 200 potential well locations. Pennaco hasdrilled and is in the process of testing and completing its first100 wells in the area. The Bear Paw gathering systems will connectPennaco’s gas wells to several major pipelines, including theWestern Gas Resources MIGC Pipeline, currently transporting up to130 MMcf/d of coal-bed gas, the recently announced Fort Union GasPipeline projected to be in service by September of this year, andthe proposed Thunder Creek Pipeline. The remaining 90% of Pennaco’s312,000 net acres in the Powder River will be devoted to FortUnion.
Ocean Energy Divests $42 M of Onshore Assets
Ocean Energy announced Tuesday it has signed purchase and salesagreements with various companies to divest certain U.S. onshoreassets in an effort to reduce its debt before merging with SeagullEnergy Corp. The sales total $42 million and are located primarilyin the Midcontinent, Permian Basin and Rocky Mountain regions.