Venture

In the sixth asset alliance since their 50-50 venture was formed in 1997, NRG Energy Inc. and Dynegy Inc. expanded their generation portfolio in the western United States last week with the purchase of one power plant and buying most of the generating capacity of another plant from Nevada Power Co. for $634 million. Minneapolis-based NRG will be operator and Houston-based Dynegy will serve as power marketer and fuel supplier.

Maine Natural Gas (MNG), a joint venture between the CMP Groupand Energy East, began delivery of natural gas to Calpine Corp.’snew 540 MW electric generating facility last week. The new powerplant is located in Westbrook, ME. The LDC also began supplying gasto the University of Southern Maine (USM) and parts of Gorham, ME.

Almost four months after its scheduled date, Maine Natural Gas(MNG), a joint venture between the CMP Group and Energy East, begandelivery of natural gas yesterday to Calpine Corp.’s new 540 MWelectric generating facility located in Westbrook, ME. The companyalso began supplying the University of Southern Maine (USM) andparts of Gorham, ME.

Allegheny Energy Supply Co. LLC upped its total generatingcapacity to nearly 10,000 MW after setting up a joint venture withUGI Development to expand and market generation output fromfacilities at UGI’s Hunlock Creek generating station nearWilkes-Barre, PA. Part of the deal gives Allegheny Energy Supplyaccess to 46 MW to sell into the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Marylandmarket.

Maine Natural Gas (MNG), a joint venture between the CMP Group andEnergy East, has signed a multi-year contract with the University ofMaine to supply natural gas delivery services to the University ofSouthern Maine campus. The university located in Gorham, would besupplied by the transmission jointly owned by Maritimes and NortheastPipeline, and Portland Natural Gas Transmission System. Constructionof the low-pressure distribution system should be complete andoperational by early fall. MNG recently signed a multi-year deal tosupply natural gas to the Brunswick Naval Air Station and is currentlybuilding a lateral feed to a new 540 MW plant which is being built inWestbrook by Calpine (see Daily GPI, June27). CMP Group and Energy East announced the merging of their twocompanies last year. The Securities and Exchange Commission is theonly remaining approval necessary to complete the merger.

PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd.’s newest venture, a web page withinits Internet site dedicated to leasing and farming out some of itsundeveloped oil and natural gas rights in Western Canada, waslaunched last week with its first Call for Bids centered on fourblocks on land that cover 69,000 acres in Alberta.

PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd.’s newest venture, a web page withinits Internet site dedicated to leasing and farming out some of itsundeveloped oil and natural gas rights in Western Canada, launchedthis week with its first Call for Bids centered on four blocks onland that cover 69,000 acres in Alberta.

Enron and IBM are teaming up again, but this time in the form of acontract, not a joint venture. (see NGI, May 22 ) Enron EnergyServices, a subsidiary of Enron, has inked a deal with IBM todistribute $350 million in technology services to Enron locations allover the U.S. for the next 10 years.

A consortium of 21 energy and utility companies have formed anew company, Pantellos Corp., to operate an e-procurement web site,which was announced earlier this year. The companies also havehired Commerce One, a world leader in e-commerce site development,as their primary technology partner. Pantellos will have an initialcapitalization of $100 million.