Steps

BP plc has chosen a new chairman whose expertise is in technology — as opposed to someone schooled in oil and natural gas — to take the helm when Peter Sutherland steps down at the end of this year. Carl-Henric Svanberg, now chairman and CEO of Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, will join the BP board as chairman-designate and become a nonexecutive director on Sept. 1. He officially will step down at year-end from Ericsson and succeed Sutherland as chairman of BP on Jan. 1. Based in London, Svanberg, 57, is expected to devote most of his time to BP business. “Following such a distinguished predecessor is quite a challenge but I’m hugely excited about joining the energy industry, which is so much at the heart of the global economy. I look forward to it with relish,” Svanberg said. Sutherland, 63, has been chairman of BP since 1997. He was scheduled to step down in April, but earlier this year he agreed to remain in his post because of the difficult market conditions that had delayed the search for a replacement. BP CEO Tony Hayward said Sutherland “will be a hard act to follow. But I am sure Carl-Henric will be a worthy successor. He is a businessman of international stature who is recognized for his transformation of Ericsson. Our shared views on many aspects of global business give me great confidence that we will work very effectively together on the next phase of BP’s progress.”

BP plc has chosen a new chairman whose expertise is in technology — as opposed to someone schooled in oil and natural gas — to take the helm when Peter Sutherland steps down, the London-based energy giant said Thursday.

Natural gas utility company Energy West Inc. took steps Monday to put a wedge between Florida Public Utilities Co. (FPU) and a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities Corp. (CPK), which seek to merge, by demanding that FPU turn over a list of its shareholders to Energy West, a minority holder of the outstanding shares of FPU.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday took steps to better measure the results of energy efficiency and conservation programs. CPUC action on a 5-0 vote set new rules on calculating both energy savings and program portfolio cost-effectiveness.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday took steps to better measure the results of energy efficiency and conservation programs. CPUC action on a 5-0 vote set new rules on calculating both energy savings and program portfolio cost-effectiveness.

The Alberta government took steps last week to ensure that royalty reductions announced late last month will light a fire under the current drilling season by putting the program into effect six weeks early, as of the announcement date Nov. 19.

The Alberta government took steps Monday morning to ensure that royalty reductions announced last week will light a fire under the current drilling season by putting the program into effect six weeks early, as of the announcement date Nov. 19.

Offshore drilling opponent Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) Thursday vowed to take steps to stop the Bush administration’s plans for a new wave of oil and natural gas drilling off the coast of Florida and other areas that currently are off-limits.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has taken a number of steps to implement its expanded authority over the new broader market for utility mergers and acquisitions, Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher told a congressional committee Thursday, rebutting a critical Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that called for greater efforts to protect consumers.