Suspended

Most Gulf Coast and Northeast prices were jumping by double-digit amounts Tuesday morning in response to growing offshore production shut-ins and the previous day’s screen spike. The gains tended to range from less than a dime at a few Gulf points to about 30 cents at FGT Zone 3, where Destin’s outage contributed greatly to supply shortfalls.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Wednesday suspended for one year Transwestern Pipeline Co.’s authority to negotiate rates based on basis differentials and ordered refunds for excess charges, which at times reached 100 times the maximum regulated rate during the California energy crisis in 2000-2001.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Wednesday suspended for one year Transwestern Pipeline Co.’s authority to negotiate rates based on basis differentials and ordered refunds for excess charges, which at times reached 100 times the maximum regulated rate during the California energy crisis in 2000-2001.

Shareholders of Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas approved the company’s acquisition by Dominion. Trading of Louis Dreyfus stock will be suspended at the close of trading today and will subsequently be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. The transaction will be effective on Thursday. Dominion announced in September that it would acquire Louis Dreyfus for $2.3 billion in cash, stock and assumed debt. The deal grows Dominion’s gas reserves by 60% or 4.6 Bcfe. Its production will grow to more than 450 Bcf a year, a 40% hike.

California’s sharply divided energy regulators last Thursday suspended direct access to retail electric customers in the state and okayed one other major rate change necessary to begin the process of selling $13 billion in state electricity revenue bonds. The actions were effective immediately and allow existing direct access customers to continue their current arrangements.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) announced that it has suspended its open season for additional intrastate pipeline capacity that was scheduled to close Aug. 30. The California utility said it made the decision not to go forward with the open season at this time while conducting a corporate-wide review related to its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) announced that it has suspended its open season for additional intrastate pipeline capacity that was scheduled to close Aug. 30. The California utility said it made the decision not to go forward with the open season at this time while conducting a corporate-wide review related to its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) scored two wins yesterday asthe Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) voted to begin aninvestigation into Nicor Gas’ gas deregulation program andtemporarily block a proposed expansion of the program until thecompany can prove it benefits customers.

Saying linepack had stabilized, El Paso suspended Wednesday anUnauthorized Overpull Penalty alert that had been implementedSunday (see Daily GPI, Aug. 22).