Trail

Heading towards expiration at the end of trading Thursday, March natural gas futures continued to blaze a trail higher for the second consecutive session. The prompt month soared 20.8 cents to settle at $6.311, while April natural gas closed at $6.42, up 19.9 cents.

Devon Energy Corp., on the asset acquisition trail since 1988, believes it has all the bases covered in terms of natural gas assets, expertise and overall size and is focusing going forward almost exclusively on developing those predominantly North American assets and paying down the debt it accumulated during the acquisition phase.

While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chases the trail of some long-gone transaction in pursuit of retroactive refunds for a few consumers, it may be harming the many who depend on the efficient functioning of the competitive market, Duke Energy said in asking the Commission to narrow the window for challenges.

While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chases the trail of some long-gone transaction in pursuit of retroactive refunds for a few consumers, it may be harming the many who depend on the efficient functioning of the competitive market, Duke Energy said in asking the Commission to narrow the window for challenges.

CMS Energy Chairman and CEO Ken Whipple, at his own request, will have most of his compensation linked to the company’s performance long-term, under a package ratified by the CMS Board of Directors. Whipple had initially asked that all his compensation be linked to performance when he took over in May 2002.

While competition continues to hold down natural gas transmission, TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. is riding to a comeback on a growing commitment to gas-fired power generation as a “core” interest.

While competition continues to hold down natural gas transmission, TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. is riding to a comeback on a growing commitment to gas-fired power generation as a “core” interest.

Wearing yellow arm bands, consumer activists have hit the lobbying trail in Sacramento last week, hoping to beat back a legislative rescue bill for Southern California Edison and any other new energy legislation that could result in utility rate increases on top of the 4-cent/kwh hikes that took effect in a two-phase process earlier this year.

Continuing to report a trail of red ink, PG&E Corp. Wednesday said its first quarter results turned up a $951 million, or $2.62 per share, loss, driven by a $1.1 billion (after tax) cost of wholesale power by Pacific Gas and Electric Co.in unreimbursed power costs and power purchases by the state transmission grid operator, Cal-ISO.