Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier last week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.
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NJ Added to the List of Free Choice States
Joining a short list of other states, New Jersey opened upentirely to gas supplier choice earlier this week. At a specialmeeting on Jan. 10, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved ofeach of the state’s four main gas utilities’ unbundling plans. Thelegislation calling for this deregulation was enacted lastFebruary.
Industry Briefs
Indiana Energy, Inc. said yesterday that a special meeting ofcommon shareholders would be held on December 17 at its corporateheadquarters in Indianapolis, IN, to consider the previously announcedmerger with SIGCORP Inc. The merger would create a new $1.9 billionholding company called Vectren (see Daily GPI, June 15). Through its utility subsidiaries,Vectren will offer gas and electricity to more than 650,000 customersin adjoining service areas that cover nearly two-thirds ofIndiana. Vectren’s non-regulated subsidiaries will offerenergy-related products and services, including: energy marketing;performance contracting and coal mining; fiber-optic basedtelecommunications services; locating, trenching and meter readingservices; and materials management to customers throughout thesurrounding region. Under the merger agreement, Indiana Energyshareholders will receive one share of Vectren’s common stock for eachshare of Indiana Energy stock. SIGCORP shareholders will receive 1.333shares of Vectren’s common stock for each share of SIGCORP stock.
Shareholders Approve Santa Fe-Snyder Merger
The shareholders of Santa Fe Energy Resources and Snyder OilCorp. approved the merger of the two companies during specialmeetings yesterday. More than 99% of the voting shareholders ofeach company voted in favor of the merger. The new Houston-basedcombined company, which will be called Santa Fe Snyder Corp., willhave a market capitalization of $1.6 billion, with reserves of 315million boe. Combined production for 1999 is expected to be 105,000boe/d, 55% of which will be gas and 70% of which will be producedin the U.S.
Texas Mulls In-Kind Power Generation
Texas Land Commissioner David Dewhurst last week presented aplan to a special senate committee on electric utilityrestructuring that would allow the land commissioner to convert thestate’s oil and gas earned from public lands into electricity andsell it to Texas schools, state agencies, and local governments.
Special Feature : Lobsters V. Oil/Gas on Georges Bank
International gas producers are sailing into a political stormas they pursue their next drilling target off the East Coast, theCanadian half of Georges Bank between Nova Scotia and New England. Three wholly-owned arms of senior U.S. gas suppliers – TexacoCanada, Chevron Canada and Amoco Canada – are out to persuadeCanadian federal and provincial authorities to let a moratorium onresource exploration on Georges expire.