Although FERC staff shot down the Atlantic Alliance projecttwice as an alternative to both Independence and Millennium, it didnot deter project planners from moving forward with an open season.
Staff
Articles from Staff
FERC Promises Quicker Processing
FERC Chairman James J. Hoecker announced last week that staffhas developed new timelines that could reduce the litigation timeby one-third for cases set for hearing before the Commission’sadministrative law judges (ALJ). The new timelines take effectimmediately, and apply to new cases and any pending cases thathaven’t had a procedural schedule set by a presiding judge.
FERC Pledges to Process Cases Quicker
FERC Chairman James J. Hoecker announced yesterday that staffhas developed new timelines that could reduce the litigation timeby one-third for cases set for hearing before the Commission’sadministrative law judges (ALJ). The new timelines take effectimmediately, and apply to new cases and any pending cases thathaven’t had a procedural schedule set by a presiding judge.
Texas Boosting Gas-Fired, Distributed Generation
Texas gas-fired generation and distributed generation stand togain from recent actions by the state’s Public Utility Commission.Commission staff has proposed a natural gas energy credits (NGEC)trading program with the goal of ensuring that at least 50% of allnew generating capacity, except that powered by renewabletechnologies, be gas-fired after Jan. 1. The proposal does notinclude modifications to generation facilities that merely increaseefficiency of currently installed equipment.
OCC, ONEOK Come To Terms on Rates
Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) staff, ONEOK Inc. and itssubsidiaries Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) and Kansas Gas Service(KGS) reached negotiated settlement of a number of interim issueson rates, unbundling of assets and competitive bidding for gasservices. The stipulated agreement must still be approved by OCCcommissioners. Once that happens, it will hasten wholesale and thenretail unbundling in the state.
OCC, ONEOK Come to Terms on Rates
Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) staff, ONEOK Inc. and itssubsidiaries Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) and Kansas Gas Service(KGS) reached negotiated settlement of a number of interim issueson rates, unbundling of assets and competitive bidding for gasservices. The stipulated agreement must still be approved by OCCcommissioners. Once that happens, it will hasten wholesale and thenretail unbundling in the state.
PG&E Restructures Operations, Reduces Staff
PG&E Corp. is consolidating overall management of its PacificNorthwest and Texas natural gas operations to gain someefficiencies and prepare for expanding into unspecified marketsthroughout North America. A total of about 100 positions, less than10% of the 1,000-person work force, will be eliminated from PG&EGas Transmission (PG&E GT)-spread equally among the Texas andPortland, OR, operations.
FERC First Changes Announced At Last
Following an extensive four-month, $700,000 review of FERC’sprocedures and organization by staff and Andersen Consulting, theCommission yesterday formally announced its changes in structureand regulatory approach. The initiative, which includes creatingseveral new offices, efforts to increase pre-filing activities andnew regulatory approaches designed to speed up processing ofapplications, will be made effective over the next 18 months.
FERC Gears up to Tackle Gas Issues
A FERC options paper outlining various gas issues, whichCommission staff has been compiling since last fall, is scheduledto go to the full Commission next week – an indication FERC willtake action very soon. Commissioners are at odds, however, overwhether the gas issues will be addressed on a comprehensive basisor individually.