Towel

Throwing in the towel on its natural gas choice pilot program after five years of service, Wisconsin Gas Co. (WGC) notified a total of 3,485 customers who were participating in the program that beginning Oct. 31 they would once again have to purchase their gas supply from their utility, WGC.

House Republican energy leaders have deep-sixed their proposed legislation to provide emergency relief to California and other western energy markets, insisting that Democrats and Republicans are too far apart on the issue of whether price limits on wholesale power should be included.

Throwing in the towel on its natural gas choice pilot program after five years of service, Wisconsin Gas Co. (WGC) notified a total of 3,485 customers who were participating in the program that beginning Oct. 31 they would once again have to purchase their gas supply from their utility, WGC.

Kansas City Power & Light Co. (KCPL) threw in the whitetowel earlier this week, canceling its proposed merger with thefinancially troubled Western Resources citing doubts aboutWestern’s growth and increasing shareholder opposition to thetransaction. KCPL canceled the merger using a stipulation in theoriginal agreement requiring the merger to have all regulatoryapprovals completed by Dec. 31, 1999. The merger suffered fromregulatory delays and never received a final okay from the FederalEnergy Regulatory Commission.

What a difference a week can make. Bull traders, nearly ready tothrow in the towel a week ago, have become “cautiously optimistic”higher prices are in their future. And they have good reason tofeel that way because the market entertained a flood of positivenews last week, which gave bulls and bears alike little choice butto bid the market higher. The April contract broke above the 40-daymoving average at $1.80 on Friday and was propelled 5 cents higherby speculative fund buying to finish the day up 9.8 cents at$1.853. Volume was a heavy 108,348. For the week, April gained 22.5cents.

PacifiCorp is throwing in the towel in its pursuit of Britain’sThe Energy Group (TEG) with the announcement it will not increaseits revised offer for the company. Energy Group Thursday recommended shareholders accept the 4.45 billion pounds ($7.4billion), 840 pence/share, cash offer made by Texas Utilities forthe company. “The Texas Utilities Offer represents excellent valuefor our shareholders and we recommend that they accept,” said DerekBonham, Energy Group chairman.