Warning

Echoing a price shock warning that many utilities — electric and gas — were issuing across the country last week, Syracuse, NY-based Niagara Mohawk said higher commodity prices could result in its natural gas customers seeing a 35% increase in heating bills this winter.

Citing a new report that it commissioned, the New England Council, which represents businesses, academic institutions and health organizations throughout New England, issued a warning on Wednesday that the region could face severe economic consequences without rapid construction of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals.

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) issued a warning Wednesday about potential future supply deficiencies in the state between 2008 and 2011, possibly sooner in New York City and Long Island, because of the decommissioning of several existing plants and underinvestment in new generation.

A new research report from Goldman Sachs sent energy prices through the roof on Thursday by warning investors that the oil markets are entering into a “super-spike” period that could see crude prices as high as $105/bbl. In addition, the firm said Henry Hub natural gas prices could soar to $13/MMBtu by 2007.

A new research report from Goldman Sachs sent energy prices through the roof on Thursday by warning investors that the oil markets are entering into a “super-spike” period that could see crude prices as high as $105/bbl. In addition, the firm said Henry Hub natural gas prices could soar to $13/MMBtu by 2007.

Due to forecasts of cold weather in its service area, MRT will implement a System Protection Warning at the start of Wednesday’s gas day. See the bulletin board for SPW conditions.

MRT is canceling Friday a System Protection Warning that was implemented at the start of Thursday’s gas day.

After lifting Thursday a System Protection Warning (SPW) that had begun Monday (see Daily GPI, Dec. 14), MRT cited new forecasts of cold weather in saying it will implement another SPW Saturday. It is subject to these conditions: 1) MRT will not schedule any mainline IT or AOR (authorized overrun) volumes for delivery north of Glendale; 2) Firm volumes will be limited to their primary direction of flow; 3) MRT is not accepting short imbalance positions in the market zone; and 4) Shippers may not nominate supply from existing long imbalance positions in the market zone. Saying it has capacity available on the East Line, MRT encouraged shippers who were relying on mainline IT, AOR and/or imbalance volumes to re-source supply to the East Line or reduce applicable delivery volumes in order to avoid OFOs.

Florida Gas Transmission, which had canceled an Overage Alert Day notice Friday while warning that forecasts of continued warm weather in Florida made its return possible, had a new OAD in place Tuesday with 25% tolerance for negative daily imbalances.