York

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), has reached an agreementwith the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) staff and othercompanies and groups to actively promote the customers’ right tochoose among competing natural gas suppliers.

NRG Energy Inc. pulled off a respectable first three days on theNew York Stock Exchange, as the independent power subsidiary ofNorthern States Power saw its initial public offering (IPO) closewell above its set price of $15 when the markets closed lastFriday. NRG opened at $15.88 on Wednesday, and closed on Friday at$17 1/4 on a volume of 913,000 shares.

NRG Energy Inc.pulled off a respectable first day on the New York Stock Exchange, asthe independent power subsidiary of Northern States Power saw itsinitial public offering (IPO) close well above its set price of$15. NRG opened at $15.88 and closed the day at $16.63 on a volume of8.1 million shares.

Columbia Gas began an open season Wednesday to assess interestin increased FT on Line 10338 in New York from the Ramapo Stationto the Buena Vista Station. The expansion would be achieved throughan upgrade of Ramapo Station. Contract terms would be for 10 yearsor longer, but the service would terminate automatically ifColumbia abandons Line 10338 by conveyance to its proposedMillennium Pipeline project. The open season will run through 4:30p.m. EST March 31. The pipeline also is asking existing FTcustomers on Line 10338 if they wish to permanently turn back theircapacity. Call Bernie Schaffler at (703) 227-3265 for moreinformation.

After watching the market tumble 7.1 cents lower Monday, naturalgas bulls at the New York Mercantile exchange dug in their heelsyesterday as prices careened off support in the low $2.70s andmoved higher throughout the session. By virtue of its 3.7-centadvance and $2.751 settlement, the April contract nudged its wayback up well within the $2.67-90 trading range that has limitedprice movement since March 1. The May contract followed suit,trading up 3.7 cents to finish at $2.781, in a session that sawmoderate activity of 57,862.

Although you couldn’t tell from rapidly depleting gas storagelevels or lofty gas prices, this winter turned out to be thewarmest on record for the United States, according to a report bythe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And it was thethird winter in a row in which record warmth cooked the UnitedStates.

Amerada Hess agreed to buy gas and power marketer Statoil EnergyServices Inc. of Alexandria, VA. Statoil serves industrial andcommercial customers, mainly in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland,Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Even an abbreviated pre-holiday trading session at the New YorkMercantile Exchange gave traders no rest last Friday as the marketclawed its way higher from a “disappointing” open only to reverseright back down at the close. When all the dust had settled and theorders were tabulated, the March contract was off 3.4 cents for theday at $2.633.