California Superior Court Judge Ronald Prager in San Diego late Wednesday tentatively upheld Sempra Energy’s $1.8 billion class action settlement and then Thursday heard several hours of objections to the deal from attorneys representing various state and utility interests. California’s attorney general has argued the settlement could preclude several pending legal actions involving Sempra, and the value of the deal is overstated.
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Equitable Agrees to Settlement Over Pennsylvania Apartment Explosion
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) said Thursday that it tentatively approved a settlement with Equitable Gas Co. concerning a 2003 natural gas explosion and fire that damaged part of an apartment building in Pittsburgh, injuring six people. The utility company agreed to provide additional emergency response training to its employees, set aside $55,000 to train other smaller utility companies in emergency response and pay a $5,000 fine.
Equitable Agrees to Settlement Over Pennsylvania Apartment Explosion
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) said Thursday that it tentatively approved a settlement with Equitable Gas Co. concerning a 2003 natural gas explosion and fire that damaged part of an apartment building in Pittsburgh, injuring six people. The utility company agreed to provide additional emergency response training to its employees, set aside $55,000 to train other smaller utility companies in emergency response and pay a $5,000 fine.
Futures Settle Tentatively Lower, Eyeing Long Weekend vs. Cold Weather Forecasts
Bouncing up and down throughout the day in Nymex’s shortened trading session, February natural gas futures finally settled lower on Friday heading into the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend. On fairly low volume, the prompt month settled at $6.395, down 5 cents on the day, but up 39.4 cents on the week thanks to Thursday’s significant rally.
Futures Probe Tentatively Higher Despite Bear Sightings
After dropping 18.1 cents on Monday, the natural gas futures prompt month on Tuesday chose to follow crude’s lead and probe the upside. With only a few days left until expiration, the July contract notched a 7.3-cent gain to close at $6.412. Action was light Tuesday, as 52,035 contracts changed hands.
NorthWestern, Montana Officials ‘Tentatively’ Agree on Bankruptcy Plan; 5 Cities Bid for Utilities
Heading off contentious state opposition, South Dakota-based utility holding company, NorthWestern Corp., Friday reached “preliminary agreement” with Montana regulators and consumer officials on the company’s proposed plan in federal bankruptcy court to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.
NorthWestern, Montana ‘Tentatively’ Agree on Bankruptcy Plan; 5 Cities Bid for Utilities
Heading off contentious state opposition, South Dakota-based utility holding company NorthWestern Corp. Friday reached a preliminary agreement with Montana regulators and consumer officials on the company’s proposed bankruptcy reorganization. As part of the deal, the Montana Public Service Commission and state Consumer Counsel agreed to settle the PSC’s investigation of the company’s utility transmission/distribution operations in the state. NorthWestern had accused the state regulators of trying to stifle its emergence from bankruptcy.
FERC Plans Conference to Examine SROs
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is tentatively planning to hold an additional technical conference on “Energy Price Discovery and Indices” on Tuesday June 24 to explore “some of the less familiar options such as Self-Regulating Organizations (SROs) and audited data hubs.” An order to that effect was being circulated Thursday for approval by the commissioners.
Futures Hold as Traders Await Damage Reports
After ratcheting tentatively higher through the morning hours, natural gas futures sifted lower Friday afternoon as information on the extent of damage to production assets in the Gulf of Mexico was slow in coming. With that November came to rest at $3.739 Friday, up 1.5 cents for the session but down 30.2 cents in its first full week as prompt contract at the New York Mercantile Exchange. At just 77,372, estimated volume was evidence of the market’s uncertainty.
MMS Schedules Lease Sale 181 for Dec. 5
The Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) has tentatively scheduled its controversial Lease Sale 181 in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for Dec. 5 in New Orleans, LA.