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FERC handed the proposed Trans-Union Interstate Pipelinesomething of a doubled-edged sword last week. While it issued acertificate for the 42-mile, 430,000 Dth/d pipeline project, itdenied its request to operate it as a single-use line.

FERC last week reaffirmed the bulk of Order 639 in which it isattempting to bring about some consistency to the regulation ofnatural gas pipelines on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) byimposing similar reporting burdens on all facilities. It also madea few nips and tucks in the OCS order, especially with respect thefiling date for the reports and and the types of shippers that areexempted.

The mergers of Columbia Energy and NiSource Inc. and El Paso Energy and Coastal Corp. breezed through the FERC review process last Wednesday, collecting seals of approval, at the same time the agency said it wanted to take another look at two proposed mergers of electric utilities.

At its final meeting before the August break, FERC last weekcleared its agenda of several major rehearing orders — includingOrder 637-B, which was a rehearing of Order 637-A, which was arehearing of Order 637. This time around the Commission refused tobudge on the majority of the policy calls it made in 637-A thataddressed regulation of the short-term natural gas transportationmarket.

In a move analysts predict will help both companies realizetheir full value, Williams has begun the first steps to separateits energy division from its communications businesses. The boardof directors of the Tulsa, OK-based company voted July 23 to beginthe process, which is expected to take about 18 months.

Protesters won the opening skirmish, but still lost the firstbattle in a developing new war over expanding natural gas exportsbetween Canadian conservationists and energy consumers on theattacking side and the industry on the defense.

Could this be a trend or just a sign of growing pains? ReliantEnergy, the Houston-based electric utility and energy servicescompany, took the torch from Williams, which made a similarannouncement last week, and announced it will separate itsregulated and unregulated businesses into two publicly tradedcompanies.

Could this be a trend or just a sign of growing pains? ReliantEnergy, the Houston-based electric utility and energy servicescompany, took a hint from Williams’ move earlier this week, andannounced it will separate its regulated and unregulated businessesinto two publicly traded companies.

Despite the objections of potential competitor SouthernCalifornia Gas (SoCal), FERC has awarded Questar Southern TrailsPipeline Co. a certificate to build a new 693-mile pipeline thatwould directly serve customers in southern California — aterritory that has long been dominated by SoCal.