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Consumers may want to review their gas supply options as their current contracts expire, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) advised, following up on announcements late last month that Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion East Ohio have filed requests to lower their regulated gas rates for the upcoming quarter beginning October 26.

Consumers may want to review their gas supply options as their current contracts expire, the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) advised, following up on announcements late last month that Columbia Gas of Ohio and Dominion East Ohio have filed requests to lower their regulated gas rates for the upcoming quarter beginning October 26.

El Paso Natural Gas Co. and El Paso Merchant Energy (EPME) Friday filed a petition with FERC, seeking the appointment of an administrative law judge to facilitate settlement negotiations with California regulators over charges that El Paso abused market power and affiliate regulations in the transportation of gas along its Southwest pipeline system. The El Paso companies emphasized that the motion does not represent a retreat “in any way from their position” that they did not engage in market power in the California gas market, artificially raise gas or electricity prices, or engage in affiliate abuse.

Okeanos Gas Gathering Co., LLC began an open season Thursday for parties who want to obtain capacity on its 24-inch, 1 Bcf/d gathering system that is being built in the Gulf of Mexico. The open season will run through Sept. 7.

“What we have is basically a two-lane road, and the marketers and everyone else want to use it as a six-lane highway,” Edward Tirello, analyst for Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, said describing the U.S. power grid. “But someone is going to have to spend a enormous amount of money to [make it happen], and no one is spending any money right now.”

The holding companies for California’s two major utilities — one in bankruptcy and the other on the brink — belatedly last Tuesday reported multi-billion-dollar losses for 2000 after taking substantial after-tax charges in the fourth quarter because of uncollected wholesale power costs. Both indicated that California’s continuing energy crisis will impact overall financial results this year, and first-quarter earnings will need to be reported by May 15 under Securities and Exchange Commission requirements.

The holding companies for California’s two major utilities — one in bankruptcy and the other on the brink — belatedly Tuesday reported multi-billion-dollar losses for 2000 after taking substantial after-tax charges in the fourth quarter because of uncollected wholesale power costs. Both indicated that California’s continuing energy crisis will impact overall financial results this year, and first quarter earnings will need to be reported by May 15 under Securities and Exchange Commission requirements.

FERC came under heavy attack on Capitol Hill last week from state energy officials for dragging its heels in issuing decisions, not aggressively monitoring bulk power markets for abuses, and for not checking more thoroughly to see whether competition was present in electric markets before it removed price regulation.

FERC came under heavy attack on Capitol Hill yesterday fromstate energy officials for dragging its heels in issuing decisions,not aggressively monitoring bulk power markets for abuses, and fornot checking more thoroughly to see whether competition was presentin markets before it removed price regulation.