Underway

While Oklahoma Natural Gas’ (ONG) appeal of the OklahomaCorporation Commission’s interim order unbundling its upstreamsystem winds its way through court, the OCC has turned to Arkla andthe unbundling of its downstream system. Arkla will have its fourthopen meeting with the commission and other interested parties Nov.17. OCC Commissioner Bob Anthony is enthusiastic about how thingshave gone so far. “They [Arkla] have not just claimedconfidentiality on everything. It’s been very open and detailed. Idon’t normally go around bragging about utilities. I’ve asked somestaff people if everything’s operating in good faith and they’vegiven me some encouragement.”

The Public Service Co. of Colorado announced yesterday italready has begun construction of its 53-mile Front Range Pipelinewhich, when completed, will serve the Denver, CO, natural gasmarket. The construction comes less than one month after theColorado Public Utilities Commission gave the go-ahead for the $25million pipeline project.

NIPSCO announced 3,281 out of 50,000 eligible residentialcustomers in the South Bend-Mishawaka-Granger area and 920 out of1,500 eligible commercial and small industrial buyers in thenorthern third of the state of Indiana will begin receiving gasfrom alternative suppliers for the first time starting in April.

The 580 MW Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co. nuclear projectin Haddam, CT, may be converted to burn natural gas on or before itis decommissioned if engineering studies now underway indicate sucha conversion is feasible.