Years

Multiple electric utilities have waged a clandestine campaignover the past 3½ years to funnel about $17 million through twoWashington, D.C. front groups in an effort to stall electricrestructuring legislation in the House Commerce Committee’s Energyand Power subcommittee, the Washington Post reported yesterday.

Acknowledging that a combination of unexpected generator outagesand sustained hot weather could create the threat of power outagesthis summer, the California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO)launched a new alert system for gaining enough voluntaryconservation by businesses and mass consumers to ride out thepeak-demand periods. Calling it “Power Watch 2000,” Cal-ISOPresident/CEO Terry Winter said he anticipates that both short- andlong-term the state can use market-based programs to addresspotential shortfalls.

Suncor Energy Inc. of Calgary said it will reposition its gasbusiness to achieve at least a 10% return on capital within fiveyears. Suncor intends to build competitive operating areas, improvebase business efficiency and create new, low-capital businesses.

Suncor Energy Inc. of Calgary plans to reposition its gasbusiness to achieve at least a 10% return on capital within fiveyears. Suncor intends to build competitive operating areas, improvebase business efficiency and create new, low-capital businesses.

Brian Watt, CEO of Columbia Energy Services (CES), predicted ashakeout of retail energy providers over the next five years on thescale of what happened in the telecommunications industry, wheremarket participants dwindled from 400 to less than 10.

Marking the start of what many expect to be a major trend overthe next few years, a Florida county authorized the construction ofa 460 MW gas-fired facility earlier this week. The $100 millionplant, which will be built and operated by Reliant Energy, willstart service in the fourth quarter of 2001. The Osceola CountyCommission Board approved the plan by a vote of 4-1.

After nearly three years and some substantial changes in itsnatural gas supply flexibility, the backers of the proposed HighDesert Power Plant about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles pulledtogether final air emission mitigation and water deals last weekthat they think will get them final state approval for their plantby spring. The final steps were taken as the project won alast-minute reprieve from a preliminary recommendation that theCalifornia Energy Commission (CEC) reject the proposal, which wasthe first of what are now more than two dozen merchant power plantproposals pending.

Occidental Petroleum Corp. said it replaced 100% of 1999worldwide oil and gas production on an equivalent barrel basis.Over the past five years, Occidental has replaced an average 171%of production. Occidental also said it lowered its finding anddevelopment costs by 65% since 1997, to $3.03 per barrel in 1999.

After nearly three years and some substantial changes in itsnatural gas supply flexibility, the backers of the proposed HighDesert Power Plant about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles pulledtogether final air emission mitigation and water deals this week(Feb. 7-11) they think will get them final state approval for theirplant by spring. The final steps were taken as the project won alast-minute reprieve from a preliminary recommendation that theCalifornia Energy Commission (CEC) reject the proposal, which wasthe first of what are now more than two dozen merchant power plantproposals pending.