Want

Legislation that could give Texas electric customers substantialrefunds because of “unintended windfall” profits made through thecoming deregulation of the state’s utilities is making its waythrough the Texas House. Under the current law, large utilities maykeep earnings made through 2004 to offset the costs of investing innuclear power plants.

Though they’ve been told again and again by state regulatoryofficials that a California crisis can’t happen in Texas, twoHouston lawmakers have filed legislation to expand the state’sauthority to limit electric deregulation, which begins on a pilotbasis in June. And in Oklahoma, legislators have decided topostpone deregulation for at least two years.

Though they’ve been told again and again by state regulatoryofficials that a California crisis can’t happen in Texas, twoHouston lawmakers filed legislation last week to expand the state’sauthority to limit electric deregulation, which begins on a pilotbasis in June. And in Oklahoma, legislators have decided topostpone deregulation for at least two years.

Californians looking for something to give thanks for this weekmight want to read a new report from the California EnergyCommission, which claims that the state should have enough power tomeet its electricity demand next summer, barring extraordinarilyhot weather. The CEC’s findings relied in part on the addition ofnew generation that is expected to be available next year, most ofwhich is being built by Calpine Corp.

Interstate pipelines will want to be on the look-out for theresults of a model simulation of the New England pipelineinfrastructure that will analyze its potential to supply the”enormous” increase in the demand for natural gas by powergenerators in the region.

Interstate pipelines will want to be on the look-out for a majorstudy that will review the potential of the New England pipelineinfrastructure to supply the “enormous” increase in the demand fornatural gas by power generators in the region.

A number of top energy executives lined up last week to lendtheir support to House Commerce Committee Chairman Thomas J.Bliley’s (R-VA) draft proposal that would give FERC solejurisdiction over all interstate transmission in the United States— including the transmission associated with bundled retailtransactions, as well as the interstate facilities operated byBonneville Power Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority,cooperatives, municipals and utilities in Texas.

The natural gas is waiting, the communities are willing and theauthorities are prepared to co-operate any time producers andpipelines want to revive development in the Canadian north, theindustry is being told.

Convergence is going to continue in the energy industry becauseit is what customers and financial markets want; the market signalsare unmistakable, according to an industry representative and aninvestment funds manager.