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Kansas City, MO’s Utilicorp United Inc. is shopping around, andhas already begun to narrow its options on which “high quality,low-cost fleet of generators” to pair with its wholesale merchantmoneymaker Aquila Energy, management announced last week. Apartnership deal is expected to be unveiled within a few months.

Utility.com is gearing up for Sept. 1, when New Jersey consumers will be allowed to select their electricity suppliers through the Internet. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) earlier granted Utility.com an Electric Power Supplier License to sell into the New Jersey market of 3.5 million electricity customers, and the company will use an Internet Enrollment Program.

After the screen had registered a plunge of 42 cents-plus theday before, it failed to surprise cash traders when their numbersalso fell big-time Tuesday. However, prices were trending higher astrading proceeded, largely due to futures that opened lower butrecovered to finish the day nearly a nickel higher.

The proposed merger of Anadarko Petroleum and Union PacificResources moved forward yesterday when the U.S. Federal TradeCommission (FTC) granted early termination of the statutory waitingperiod required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust ImprovementsAct. Completion of the merger still is subject to the approval ofthe shareholders of both companies and satisfaction of othercustomary conditions. Under the agreement, which was unanimouslyapproved by each company’s board of directors, UPR shareholderswill receive 0.455 Anadarko common shares for each UPR common sharethey own. The offer is worth about $5.6 billion. Anadarko will alsotake on $2.6 billion in long-term debt from UPR. Closing isexpected in July. UPR will become a wholly-owned subsidiary ofHouston-based Anadarko. The purchase more than doubles Anadarko’sNorth American gas reserves from 2.5 Tcf to 5.8 Tcf. The increasemoves the company from the 13th largest company in terms of NorthAmerican gas reserves to fifth. The increase of production is evenmore pronounced, as Anadarko will go from 170 Bcf/year (20th place)by itself to 634 Bcf/year (sixth place).

Just when you thought Florida was the place to be this springfor pipeline construction, the ice is melting and activity isstarting to blossom on the Northern frontier -think Alaska andthe Northwest Territories.

Just when you thought the news about the controversial contractarrangement between El Paso Natural Gas and its marketing affiliateEl Paso Merchant Energy Co. had died down, California regulatorscome out with a request from left field asking FERC to rescind the$38.5 million contract transaction for 1.22 Bcf/d of firm capacityon the pipeline.

Just when you thought the news about El Paso Natural Gas’contract arrangement with marketing affiliate El Paso MerchantEnergy Co. had died down, California regulators came out yesterdaywith a request from left field asking FERC to rescind the $38.5million transaction for 1.22 Bcf/d of firm capacity on thepipeline.

Coralconnect.com, Coral Energy’s e-business web site, jumpedinto the online energy trading fray yesterday when it announced anexpansion of its services to include the buying and selling ofcertain gas contracts.

El Paso Merchant Energy Co. made its first foray into providingfuel to Mexico when it signed a 25-year gas supply contract withFuerza y Energia De Hermosillo SA, a subsidiary of Spain’s UnionFenosa Group, to serve Mexico’s Hermosillo power plant. El Pasowill supply up to 43 MMcf/d to the 225 MW combined cycle powerplant. The plant is expected to begin testing in early 2001 andbegin commercial operation summer 2001.