Temperatures

As a result of “much colder than normal temperatures forecasted for this time of the heating season” due to arrive early Sunday in its market area, NGPL issued an OFO that limited hourly takes and daily balancing at delivery points in the Market Delivery Zone effective at 6 a.m. CST Sunday until further notice. Another factor in the OFO’s implementation is “the high average hourly peak loads observed during similar weather conditions this year in January and February,” NGPL said.

Tennessee Gas Pipeline issued an operational flow order because of colder temperatures and reduced operational flexibility. The OFO Action Alert will be effective 9 a.m. CST Feb. 12 for all LMS-MA Balancing Parties with meters located in Zones 1, 2, 3 and 4. Balancing contracts are required to maintain an actual daily flow rate that does not exceed the greater of 500 Dths or 102% of scheduled quantities. Customers will be assessed twice the LMS Daily Variance Rate ($0.3936 x 2 = $0.7872) for that portion of physical quantities related to overtakes from delivery meters which exceed this tolerance. Penalties will not apply to customers who under take out of the system. Tennessee said it cannot accept unscheduled imbalances and requires all customers to nominate and schedule all payback. A prior OFO Balancing Alert and MAV remains in effect for Zone 5.

As winter temperatures in the Northeast plunged to single digits, the Senate last Thursday overwhelmingly passed a major omnibus spending bill that, among other things, calls for a $300 million increase in federal assistance to help low-income heating customers pay their utility bills throughout 2003. At the same time, President Bush released additional emergency funds last week to aid the public during the cold snap.

As winter temperatures in the Northeast plunged to single digits, the Senate overwhelmingly approved Tuesday a $300 million increase in federal assistance to help low-income heating customers pay their utility bills throughout 2003.

With Canada and much of the northern U.S. experiencing deep-freeze low temperatures and a more-of-the-same outlook for Wednesday, the market continued to eke out small, single-digit gains at most points Tuesday.

Citing a forecast of cold temperatures through the Thanksgiving weekend and into next week in Market Zone 3 (M-3), Texas Eastern said Tuesday that due to anticipated operating conditions and loads, it will restrict interruptible M-3 deliveries starting Wednesday until further notice. “The need for further restrictions will be evaluated as conditions unfold,” the pipeline said. Also effective with Wednesday’s gas day, no due-shipper gas will be allowed to be taken off the system.

Due to record setting October temperatures in Minnesota that were over 40% colder than average and continued increases in the wholesale cost of natural gas, CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco (CEM) said customers can expect to see significantly higher heating bills during this winter.

Citing forecasts indicating that freezing temperatures would be moving into Florida Wednesday night and this morning, and noting that its overall linepack was lower, Florida Gas Transmission declared an Overage Alert Day notice Wednesday for its market area. The notice carried a 15% tolerance for negative daily imbalances.

Citing “significant demand” in its Florida market area as a result of freezing temperatures, Florida Gas Transmission declared an Overage Alert Day with 5% tolerance for negative daily imbalances Thursday.