utilities

The California Public Utilities Commission has set a newschedule for hearings on gas industry restructuring, leading to aproposed policy decision in early 1999 and public hearings aroundthe state. The CPUC expects to adopt a final market structurepolicy no earlier than January 1, 2000 in keeping with alegislative mandate which prohibits the Commission making anychanges until the year 2000.

CalEnergy Co. and MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. filed anapplication for review of proposal for reorganization with the IowaUtilities Board (IUB) in conjunction with their proposed merger.The merger agreement is also subject to approval by theshareholders of both companies, for which special meetings will becalled later this year. Completion of the merger is expected tooccur by the end of the first quarter of 1999.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) last weekapproved a comprehensive agreement with the regulated arm of NewJersey Resources (NJR), New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), that wouldput it on a fast-track to provide supplier choice to itsresidential customers by Jan. 1.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) earlier this weekapproved a comprehensive agreement with New Jersey Resources (NJR),parent of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), that would put it on afast-track to provide supplier choice to its residential customersby Jan. 1.

In one of the first major affiliate abuse decisions to goagainst an unbundling gas utility, the Rhode Island Division ofPublic Utilities and Carriers fined Providence Gas Co. (PGC)$23,000 for violating its affiliate, tariff and numerous otherregulations, and ordered the utility to refund retail gas marketersnearly $300,000.

Several power marketers and utilities have called on FERC todismiss a complaint by an Indiana steelmaker that accuses AmericanElectric Power (AEP) and unnamed power marketers of capitalizing onthe upheaval in the Midwest electricity markets in June by engagingin “abusive price gouging.”

BC Gas said it will file another application with the BritishColumbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for its previously deniedSouthern Crossing Project and said a recent open season garneredinterest exceeding available capacity.

Puget Sound Energy received approval from the WashingtonUtilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) to begin a newperformance-based mechanism for strengthening its gas-supplypurchases and gas-storage practices.

South Jersey Gas received approval from the New Jersey Board ofPublic Utilities to expand its residential transportation programallowing 12,500 more customers to select an independent natural gasmarketer. “Last year, 13,000 customers tested the uncharted watersof deregulation by signing up with an independent marketer,” saidCharles Biscieglia, president of South Jersey. “Finding ways tohelp our customers reduce energy costs is important to us andanything we can do to create a potential for savings is a positivestep.” Enrollment for the expanded program closes July 31, 1999.South Jersey serves 260,000 residential, commercial and industrialcustomers in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, and significantportions of Camden, Gloucester and Burlington counties.