Strikes

When the clock strikes midnight tonight on the West Coast,California’s state legislature, which has been known to stop theCapitol clocks at 11:59 p.m. in similar occasions, will eitherprovide some ways out of the state’s electricity problems or watchits efforts turn back into the pumpkin that has represented thissummer’s high bills and short power supplies.

Northern Natural Gas has had three or more chances to justifyits proposal to offer limited firm throughput (LFT) service on itssystem, but it has struck out every time, industrial anddistributor shippers contend. They have asked FERC to either castaside the pipeline’s proposal for the new service or order radicalchanges to assuage their concerns.

With transmission grids struggling with each new summer heatwave, an aspiring California-based company pushing off-gridmicroturbines, Capstone Turbine Corp., launched a successfulinitial public offering (IPO) Thursday, raising $130 million, andclosing the first day of trading, June 29, at almost $48/share,three times the initial asking price of $16. Friday’s close was$45.06 after hitting a high for the day of $49-plus.

With transmission grids struggling with each new summer heatwave, an aspiring California-based company pushing off-gridmicroturbines, Capstone Turbine Corp., launched a successfulinitial public offering (IPO) Thursday, raising $130 million, andclosing the first day of trading, June 29, at almost $48/share,three times the initial asking price of $16. Friday’s close was$45.06 after hitting a high for the day of $49-plus.

A federal district court has struck down a controversial part ofthe Interior Department’s 1997 royalty valuation rule under whichroyalties were calculated on the market price of the gas even if itwas a delivered price downstream from the lease, the IndependentPetroleum Association of America said yesterday.

Seeking to improve on their various generation plays across thecountry, Panda Energy International, Inc., signed an $800 millionlong-term service agreement contract with GE Power Systems coveringsix power plants currently under development, Panda said yesterday.The service agreements and commitment represents purchases of 24gas turbines and 12 steam turbines.

Expanding its fast-growing sphere of influence within theindustry, EnronOnline, the Internet-based wholesale energytransaction platform sponsored by Enron, announced that it willhold the first online sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions allowanceauction in the U.S. from March 13-16.

Expanding its fast-growing sphere of influence within theindustry, EnronOnline, the Internet-based wholesale energytransaction platform sponsored by Enron, announced that it willhold the country’s first online sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissionsallowance auction from March 13-16.

El Paso Merchant Energy Co. made its first foray into providingfuel to Mexico when it signed a 25-year gas supply contract withFuerza y Energia De Hermosillo SA, a subsidiary of Spain’s UnionFenosa Group, to serve Mexico’s Hermosillo power plant. El Pasowill supply up to 43 MMcf/d to the 225 MW combined cycle powerplant. The plant is expected to begin testing in early 2001 andbegin commercial operation summer 2001.