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The management of California’s independent grid operator(Cal-ISO) is searching for ways to correct market flaws identifiedlast month by its market surveillance committee, which spread blamearound to utilities, regulators, generators and the Cal-ISO itselfin the wake of the summer price/supply crunch. A suggested responseby Cal-ISO staff was submitted Sept. 28 to the grid operator’sboard of governors.

Sempra Energy’s subsidiary Sempra Atlantic Gas is taking anotherstep towards becoming the only game in town for gas distributionin Nova Scotia as it prepares for the official ground-breakingceremony for the construction of the distribution system on Oct.27. The ceremony will take place in Dartmouth, NS.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) reportedly has refusedto sign off on a presidential recess appointment that would enableFERC Chairman James J. Hoecker to stay on at the Commission foranother year until the end of the 2001 congressional session,according to industry sources in Washington.

Regulators can be expected to add more controls on natural gasand power risk management, which will add a layer of complexity anddiscourage new hedging operations, according to two close observersof the industry.

The Commerce Commission of New Zealand, voicing concern that onecompany would control the country’s natural gas markets, onThursday rejected the takeover by Royal Dutch/Shell Group andApache Corp. of Fletcher Challenge Energy, the country’s largestenergy exploration company. For the moment anyway, a rejected bidwould end Houston-based Apache’s attempt to increase its Canadianholdings.

NiSource Inc. is losing no time in preparing for the expectedNov. 1 completion of its Columbia Energy acquisition, announcingThursday that about 5% or 800 of the employees of the two companieshave been notified their positions will be eliminated Dec. 1.

Regulators can be expected to add more controls on natural gasand power risk management, which will add a layer of complexity anddiscourage new hedging operations, according to two close observersof the industry.

Things are skating along for the Atlanta-based IntercontinentalExchange, “The ICE,” which yesterday said that it has expanded itstrading platform to now include global crude and refined oilproducts. Natural gas and power are expected to slide into playbefore the end of the year. Trading in those markets was to beginimmediately.

Canada’s fuel cell industry got a charge this week when theboard of directors of Fuel Cells Canada inaugurated a privatesector, not-for-profit organization designed to offer services andsupport to developers.