Stipulation

Montana’s Public Service Commission (MPSC) has unanimously approved a stipulation and settlement agreement over the pending investigation by the state Consumer Counsel of NorthWestern Energy’s utility operations in the state. The regulators’ action resolves outstanding issues between the South Dakota-based utility holding company and the Montana over the NorthWestern’s proposed Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.

Without admitting any wrongdoing, Houston-based BP Energy Co. on Friday entered into a stipulation and consent deal with FERC staff to resolve charges that the energy company manipulated prices for electricity destined for the California market.

Several producers have asked FERC to resolve what they believe is an “inconsistency” in an Oct. 31 stipulation and consent agreement negotiated with Transwestern Pipeline, which bars the pipeline from recovering a $550 million loan that it secured to help bail out its parent, Enron Corp., just weeks before it filed for bankruptcy last December.

Without admitting any wrongdoing, Transwestern Pipeline has entered into a stipulation and consent agreement with FERC to resolve the agency’s concerns about a $550 million loan that the regulated pipeline secured to help bail out its parent, Enron Corp., just weeks before Enron collapsed into bankruptcy last year.

Without admitting any wrongdoing, Transwestern Pipeline has entered into a stipulation and consent agreement with FERC to resolve the agency’s concerns about a $550 million loan that the regulated pipeline secured to help bail out its parent, Enron Corp., just weeks before Enron collapsed into bankruptcy last year.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a stipulation and consent agreement with Northern Natural Gas Co. Thursday that resolves the agency’s concerns about a $450 million loan that the regulated pipeline entered into to help bail out its then-parent, Enron Corp., just before Enron sank into bankruptcy last year. Northern Natural signed the agreement with FERC Chief Accountant John Delaware and the Office of General Counsel’s Market Oversight and Enforcement section.

According to a stipulation and agreement between the Maryland Office of the People’s Counsel and Baltimore Gas & Electric, BGE must change its gas purchasing practices and buy between 10% and 20% of its winter gas supply under fixed-price agreements. The settlement was filed with the Maryland Public Service Commission this week. The switch to fixed-price contracts was a revision to BGE’s market gas commodity price procedure, which establishes the commodity portion of retail gas prices. BGE sets commodity prices based on monthly reported gas prices in spot markets. Under the agreement, BGE will buy 10-20% of its winter supplies between April and September under fixed-price deals. Gas purchased under the fixed price agreements will not be subject to sharing mechanisms or prudence reviews. “The volatility of natural gas spot prices hurt residential customers in Maryland this past winter,” said Peoples Counsel Michael J. Travieso. “This settlement will bring some diversity to BGE’s supply portfolio and help moderate the effects of unstable spot prices on consumer bills. Customers will benefit from more predictable gas costs.” The settlement also reduces what consumers must pay for BGE to reserve future gas supplies from $1.625 per year to $300,000.

Western Resources of Topeka, KS, said a stipulation andagreement had been reached with the Kansas Corporation Commission(KCC) staff, resulting in a proposed set of recommendations forsettlement in the company’s merger with Kansas City Power &Light. The agreement has been filed with the KCC. The City ofTopeka has agreed to, and the International Brotherhood ofElectrical Workers local 304 support the recommendations andstipulations. They include: