Talking

San Jose, CA-based Calpine Corp., which represents one of the largest natural gas appetites in North America for its sizable fleet of gas-fired electric generating plants, confirmed Thursday it is in preliminary talks with Alaska Gasline Port Authority (AGPA) about possibly becoming a prime potential customer for Alaska’s estimated 6 Bcf/d North Slope supplies.

California regulators are talking to FERC and Mitsubishi Corp. representatives about trying to exert authority over the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal proposed for Long Beach harbor in Southern California.

California regulators are talking to FERC and Mitsubishi Corp. representatives about trying to exert authority over the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal proposed for Long Beach harbor in Southern California.

Southern California’s port city of Long Beach is talking to three finalists in its search for a new natural gas supplier for its municipal utility to provide about 10 Bcf annually over a one- to three-year period.

Southern California’s port city of Long Beach is talking to three finalists in its search for a new natural gas supplier for its municipal utility to provide about 10 Bcf annually over a one- to three-year period.

To paraphrase a quotation attributed to Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens), everybody talks about the weather, but nobody seems to agree about the forecasts. Will El Nino warm up the Northeast and cool off the South and wreak havoc on utility and natural gas earnings? Will the Pacific Northwest have less rain this winter? And, most important, will the snow stop long enough in the Northeast to shovel the walkways clear for a day?

To paraphrase a quotation attributed to Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens), everybody talks about the weather, but nobody seems to agree about the forecasts. Will El Nino warm up the Northeast and cool off the South and wreak havoc on utility and natural gas earnings? Will the Pacific Northwest have less rain this winter? And, most important, will the snow stop long enough in the Northeast to shovel the walkways clear for a day?

Talking to local news media in the state, a Nevada state senator earlier this week took on the case of Reno-based Sierra Pacific Resources and one of its two electric utilities, Nevada Power Co., which is the target of a local ballot measure on public power and a unsolicited bid by a local public-sector water agency that counts as one of its largest customers.

Enron Corp. was still not talking Monday, but the questions continue nonetheless about the troubled energy trading giant’s future. Is it — or parts of it — for sale? Is a takeover in sight? Is Chairman and CEO Kenneth L. Lay, most responsible for Enron’s meteoric rise from pipeline company to global trading giant, about to resign? There were no answers, only rumors Monday. But Fitch, a credit ratings service, downgraded the Houston-based corporation once again, and warned of even more downgrades if Enron fails to reduce its debt. Fitch advised Enron to consider selling some of its assets.