Socal

The hoped-for agreement among California’s three investor-ownedutilities and the California’s political establishment was stillout of reach last Friday, but feeling the need to announce someprogress in preparation for his political trip to Washington, DC,and Wall Street early this week. Gov. Gray Davis said the state isclosest to a deal to pay $2.76 billion for the transmission linesof Southern California Edison.

Spot prices at the Southern California border yesterday lostmomentum and fell back into the atmosphere at around $20/MMBtuafter holding early in the ethereal region above $40. The winterstorm that rocked the state earlier in the week moved eastward andthe initial shock of SoCalGas’ 90% balancing requirement, whichgoes into effect today in response to low storage levels, seemed tobe wearing off a little.

Hoping to reverse the momentum of adverse court and regulatoryactions that have pushed it to the brink of bankruptcy, SouthernCalifornia Edison Monday won a U.S. District Court lawsuit againststate regulators, upholding the utility’s right to recoverreasonable costs for purchasing power.

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.

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 demise of Debby, softer futures and just not enough summerheat to really matter kept the cash market on a slide Thursday asalmost all points plunged by about 20 cents or more. Predictably,however, the smallest declines were registered by California as ananticipated reopening of one line at Pecos River Station on ElPaso’s southern branch failed to materialize due to a regulatoryfiat.

Bending another tool in its arsenal to shaping up the electricpower market, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hasapproved an 11.6% rate of return for Southern California Edison,replacing the 9.68% rate set earlier by an administrative law judge(ER97-2335, et al).

Bending another tool in its arsenal to shaping up the electricpower market, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hasapproved an 11.6% rate of return for Southern California Edison,replacing the 9.68% rate set earlier by an administrative law judge(ER97-2335, et al).

Transwestern began allocating Tuesday at its SoCal Needlesdelivery point into California due to nominations exceedingcapacity. About 103,000 MMBtu/d of West of Thoreau capacity wasaffected, the pipeline said.