Statewide

California’s new statewide energy action plan calls for an accelerated effort to increase gas storage capacity, gas conservation and demand-side management as well as developing two Pacific Coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminals, the state’s three major energy agencies announced in a press conference this week. “California is in the market for LNG, and that is what people need to hear,” said one of the state energy commissioners.

California’s Gov. Gray Davis last week called on his state regulators to lower retail power charges statewide by about $1 billion, recognizing that reserves needed by the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) to pay off $12 billion in electricity revenue bonds have declined.

Susan Kennedy was quickly cleared by the Senate Rules Committee for confirmation as the new commissioner at the California Public Utilities Commission. Statewide consumer, utility and environmental groups appeared to support the appointment of the former Democratic Party and governor’s adviser. Confirmation by the full Senate is expected later this month. In part of her questioning, Kennedy said she was unhappy with the level of the so-called exit fees assigned late last year by the CPUC for direct access customers in California. At their current levels, she said it would take 10 to 20 years for bundled utility customers to get their fair share from the customers buying their own power supplies from third-party providers.

The Illinois Citizens Utility Board (CUB), a non-profit statewide utility watchdog organization created by the state legislature, told state regulators Thursday to throw out the $14 million base gas rate increase proposed by Ameren/CILCO, which serves about 250,000 gas customers in the state. CUB said a financial analyst it commissioned and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office determined that the utility overstated its expenses by $11 million in order to justify the rate increase.

The Illinois Citizens Utility Board (CUB), a non-profit statewide utility watchdog organization created by the state legislature, told state regulators Thursday to throw out the $14 million base gas rate increase proposed by Ameren/CILCO, which serves about 250,000 gas customers in the state. CUB said a financial analyst it commissioned and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office determined that the utility overstated its expenses by $11 million in order to justify the rate increase.

Illinois’ statewide nonprofit utility watchdog, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), on Wednesday filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Nicor Gas and an unregulated sister company, Nicor Services, of deceptively marketing its “Fixed Bill” plan, which the lawsuit claims has caused some of Illinois consumers’ natural gas bills to more than double. CUB first made the charges of deceptive practices against the Naperville, IL-based company in April (see Daily GPI, April 12).

Illinois’ statewide nonprofit utility watchdog, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), on Wednesday filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Nicor Gas and an unregulated sister company, Nicor Services, of deceptively marketing its “Fixed Bill” plan, which the lawsuit claims has caused some of Illinois consumers’ natural gas bills to more than double. CUB first made the charges of deceptive practices against the Naperville, IL-based company in April (see Daily GPI, April 12).

On the heels of a statewide cold snap fostering near-record natural gas send-outs late last month, Pacifiic Gas and Electric Co. last week reported that its retail natural gas rates are down by 64% from their record high a year ago in the midst of California’s energy price/supply crisis. The average retail bill expected this month is about $41, based on a 27 cents/therm wholesale cost, compared to average bills for February 2001 of $113, based a $1.28/therm wholesale cost.

On the heels of a statewide cold snap fostering near-record natural gas send-outs last week, Pacifiic Gas and Electric Co. Monday reported that its retail natural gas rates are down by 64% from their record high a year ago in the midst of California’s energy price/supply crisis. The average retail bill expected this month is about $41, based on a 27 cents/therm wholesale cost, compared to average bills for February 2001 of $113, based a $1.28/therm wholesale cost.