utilities

Armed with a “smoking gun” discovered in just-released data, theCalifornia Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a freshoffensive against El Paso Natural Gas’ 1.22 Bcf/d transportationcontract arrangement with affiliate El Paso Merchant Energy.

Armed with a “smoking gun” discovered in just-released data, theCalifornia Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a freshoffensive against El Paso Natural Gas’ 1.22 Bcf/d transportationcontract arrangement with affiliate El Paso Merchant Energy.

An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) with the California PublicUtilities Commission (CPUC) has recommended the Commission approvean emergency motion by Southern California Edison to freeze theformula for avoided cost payments to qualifying facilities at theAugust rate of $4.5133/MMBtu, rather than post the September rateof $6.4567.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission and United IlluminatingCo. separately have called on FERC to order the New EnglandIndependent System Operator to disregard the extremely high bidprice for power that was purchased from a New York supplier andpermitted to set the market clearing price for energy in NewEngland during a heat wave last May.

In an unprecedented special session Monday, the five-memberCalifornia Public Utilities Commission provided added retailelectricity rate relief for San Diego consumers who are stillreeling from this summer’s rate shock.

Abandoning a slower, ongoing auction process under way at theCalifornia Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas and ElectricCo. Wednesday asked state regulators to okay a $2.8 billion valuefor its 3,896-MW hydroelectric generating system and its transferto a nonutility PG&E affiliate. PG&E’s utility said it hasreached a settlement with water, consumer, agricultural and utilityemployee union groups.

The Iowa Utilities Board has moved toward certifying natural gasmarketers in the state after issuing a proposed rulemaking thatsets different standards for small- and large- volume customers,specifically focusing on smaller customers who may not have theresources to evaluate a potential marketer.

The Iowa Utilities Board is moved toward certifying natural gasmarketers in the state after issuing a proposed rulemaking lastweek. The proposal sets different standards for small- and large-volume customers, specifically focusing on smaller customers whomay not have the resources to evaluate a potential marketer.

Less than one day after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio(PUCO) threw its support behind the NiSource/Columbia Energy Groupmerger, three groups of Ohio schools urged the commission to make afull review of the proposal. On Tuesday, PUCO authorized a letterto the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that statedthe proposed merger would have no impact on its ability to protectthe interests of Columbia Gas of Ohio ratepayers. However, theschools are not as confident.