Stakeholders

Idaho regulators will seek comments from stakeholders and the general public over the first three weeks of September on Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities’ Aug. 18 request for an $11.6 million, or 14.2%, natural gas rate increase for its 72,000 Idaho customers to recover high wholesale costs of gas. It asked for the rate hike to be effective Oct. 1.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski held a one-day Energy Summit last Wednesday for the major stakeholders from the public and private sectors in his state, and in his opening and closing remarks he broadened his outlook to be all-inclusive of various traditional and alternative energy options, including the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Kulongoski would not rule out any options and said he will soon create a new state unit to ferret them out.

The three major natural gas distribution utilities serving Oregon told a workshop for state energy officials and stakeholders Tuesday to expect retail natural gas prices to increase this winter in the range of 10-40%, with the state’s biggest distributor predicting hikes in the 35-40% range.

The United States can achieve energy security only if it is able to convince lawmakers and litigation-minded stakeholders that allowing access to restricted areas would boost oil and natural gas reserves and not add to global warming concerns, a panel of energy experts said last week at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston.

The United States can achieve energy security only if it is able to convince lawmakers and litigation-minded stakeholders that allowing access to restricted areas would boost the nation’s oil and natural gas reserves and not add to global warming concerns, a panel of energy experts said this week at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston.

BP plc said Friday that CEO John Browne, who has faced increasing scrutiny from U.S. regulators, politicians and stakeholders following problems, accidents and scandals within some of the company’s business units, will retire at the end of June, more than a year earlier than planned. Tony Hayward, currently head of exploration and production (E&P) for the London-based major, will succeed the embattled CEO.

BP plc said Friday that CEO John Browne, who has faced increasing scrutiny from U.S. regulators, politicians and stakeholders following problems, accidents and scandals within some of the company’s business units, will retire at the end of June, more than a year earlier than planned. Tony Hayward, currently head of exploration and production (E&P) for the London-based major, will succeed the embattled CEO.

Questions about the impact on natural gas volumes/prices and legal challenges lingered as the applause faded and California energy stakeholders faced a multi-year implementation process for the state’s landmark global warming laws signed last week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Pressure on already tight natural gas supplies and wholesale prices could result from the new law, according to the head of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America.

Idaho regulators are taking comments from stakeholders until Sept. 20 on a slight proposed natural gas rate decrease by Intermountain Gas Co., which told the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that retail utility bills won’t be increasing in the future, reflecting what it called stability in wholesale gas prices.