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FERC has scheduled a public conference for April 15-16 toexamine the future of ISOs in administering the electrictransmission grid on a regional basis. The Commission isconsidering whether policy changes are necessary “in order topromote competition and reliability in bulk power markets.”

The 580-MW Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power nuclear project inHaddam, CT, may be converted to burn natural gas if engineeringstudies now underway indicate such a conversion is feasible.

While some see FERC’s decision in the Granite State GasTransmission case last week as a major shift in its certificatepolicy, others believe the Commission’s dismissal of Texas EasternTransmission’s (Tetco) application to expand the capacity of itsLebanon Lateral reaffirmed that very policy.

The proposed Alliance Pipeline ran into two potential stumblingblocks last week – aboriginal politics and the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency – which are not necessarily related.

Rolls-Royce has announced a new line of engines that may changethe face of distributed generation. Since 1994 the automotivecompany has been conducting research to design a new generator thatwill help propel the company into the major leagues for distributedgeneration around the world.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved gas supplyagreements between a coalition of state utilities and four Canadiansuppliers for up to 105 Bcf/year for five years to be deliveredthrough the proposed Viking Voyageur pipeline.

Chief Administrative Law Judge Curtis L. Wagner last weekcertified to FERC for its approval the Gas Research Institute (GRI)funding settlement that sets the stage for its seven-year journeyto become a voluntary-funded organization.

After winning the contest to build the Maritimes &amp Northeastexport pipeline for natural gas produced offshore Nova Scotia(Sable Island), Westcoast Energy now has entered a contest with IPLsubsidiary Consumers Gas Energy to build gas distribution systemsin the Canadian Maritimes province of New Brunswick.

Although other FERC members were noticeably mum on the issue,Commissioner Curt Hebert Jr. said he was alarmed by FERC’s actionin a Granite State Gas Transmission case last week because itsignaled a “radical departure” in its current certificate policyfor evaluating whether new projects have adequate market support.