Staff

FERC Chairman Pat Wood III has named four top aides to his staff: Lawrence D. Crocker III, Robert E. Gramlich, Alison Silverstein and Andrew K. Soto.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood III has named four top aides to his staff: Lawrence D. Crocker III, Robert E. Gramlich, Alison Silverstein and Andrew K. Soto.

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Bureau ofEconomics and of Policy Planning said it generally supports theshort-term and long-term remedies that FERC has identified for theCalifornia power market but believes FERC should provide moreconcrete advice on how best to configure the organization that willoperate and control the transmission grid in the state. In commentsfiled with FERC this week, the FTC said FERC should considercreating a benchmark or a baseline of characteristics andoperations for regional transmission organizations that can be usedas a starting point as part of its revisions to California’swholesale electric power market rules and institutions. Inaddition, the comments suggest refinements to FERC’s proposedremedies to ensure that market power is not exercised in wholesaleelectric power markets, to the detriment of consumers. FERC OrderProposing Remedies for California Wholesale Electric Markets wasreleased Nov. 1 (see Daily GPI, Nov. 2). The order was intended toremedy deficiencies in market rules and institutions that havecontributed to recent reliability difficulties and high prices forelectric power in California.

National Fuel Gas Co. announced last week that it has reached arate settlement agreement with the staff of the Department ofPublic Service, the Consumer Protection Board and multiple otherinterveners. The New York Public Service Commission approved theagreement at its regular session on Oct. 11.

National Fuel Gas Co. announced yesterday that it has reached arate settlement agreement with the staff of the Department ofPublic Service, the Consumer Protection Board and multiple otherinterveners. The New York Public Service Commission approved theagreement at its regular session on Oct. 11.

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

If the staff of the Senate Energy and Natural ResourcesCommittee fails to reach agreement today on two contentious areasin electricity restructuring — the extent of FERC jurisdictionover interstate transmission and whether to include a renewableportfolio standard — the Democratic and Republican committeeleaders, may drop efforts to pass a comprehensive bill this year infavor of a stripped-down measure addressing reliability.

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

Citing a need to prepare for competitive environments, CinergyCorp. announced steps to reduce the size of its corporate centerlast week.