Utility

Adding to its long list of utility, marketing and transportationassets, Aquila Energy parent Utilicorp United entered into astrategic partnership with Quanta Services Wednesday for $400million. Utilicorp hopes to increase its profit potential in thederegulating electric and telecommunications markets by teamingwith the Houston-based Quanta, a provider of specialized servicesfor companies in those industries.

Allentown, PA-based electric utility PP&L said it set acompany record Monday for delivering summertime power. During hightemperatures and heavy humidity in central and easternPennsylvania, PP&L delivered 6,128,000 kWh of electricity tocustomers between 1 and 2 p.m. Monday. The company’s formersummertime record of 6,046,000 kWh was set July 15, 1997. PP&Lsaid it was able to set the delivery record without anyinterruption or curtailment of service to customers. In otherregional power news the New England Independent System Operatorcanceled a power warning that had been set through last night andsaid customers could resume normal power usage.

CMS Gas Transmission and Storage Co., the new pipeline division of the Michigan utility, continued to grow last week as its subsidiary CMS Continental Natural Gas purchased Anson Gas Marketing and the Midcontinent Gas Pipeline from Chesapeake Energy Marketing. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

PP&L Resources, a utility based in eastern Pennsylvania, iscementing its ties in the western U.S., buying the energy marketingoperation of The Montana Power Co. to go with the 13 powergeneration plants it is in the process of buying from the samecompany.

Conectiv, a Mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility, announcedsweeping changes in its strategic focus earlier this week, but didnot alter its plan for gas operations. Conectiv said the changeswere made due to a clearing regulatory picture in the areas itserves.

Connectiv Power Delivery, the utility subsidiary of Connectiv,announced its Natural Gas Choice Program for Delaware last week,enabling 15,000 residential and 1,500 small commercial customers tochoose their gas supplier as early as July 1. The program will lastfor two years, and will determine if the freedom to choose asupplier should be offered to all of Connectiv’s gas customers inDelaware.

Connectiv Power Delivery, the utility subsidiary of Connectiv,announced its Natural Gas Choice Program for Delaware Tuesday,enabling 15,000 residential and 1,500 small commercial customers tochoose their gas supplier as early as July 1. The program will lastfor two years, at which point it will go under full review todetermine if the freedom to choose a supplier should be offered toall of Connectiv’s gas customers in Delaware.

Cinergy’s PSI Energy subsidiary is looking for a new presidentfollowing the retirement of John M. Mutz, who had been president ofthe electric utility since 1993.

LG&E Energy Corp. utility subsidiaries Louisville Gas andElectric and Kentucky Utilities received orders from the KentuckyPublic Service Commission (PSC) implementing performance-basedratemaking (PBR) effective July 2.