Fortnightly Magazine - September 15 1995

Transwestern Settlement Shares Risk

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a settlement involving Transwestern Pipeline Co. (TP) that puts both the pipeline and its customers at risk for relinquished pipeline capacity, and ties future rate increase to inflation. The settlement puts TP and its customers at risk for the 457 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/day) of capacity that Southern California Gas Co. (SCG) will give up starting November 1, 1996. Firm customers will provide a short-term subsidy through a cost-sharing formula for the first five years.

The Pipeline Business

Stephen P. Reynolds

President & CEO

Pacific Gas Transmission Co.

Standardization has been an issue in every industry since the beginning of the Machine Age. As products continue to evolve, we need something like GISB to help find a prudent and appropriate level of standardization.

Open-Access Environmental Efforts Combine

A number of major environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have filed a joint comment with three utilities (em Public Service Electric and Gas Co., Atlantic Electric Co., and The United Illuminating Co. (em concerning the FERC's environmental impact statement (EIS) in its open-access electric transmission Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR).

Burnertip and Beyond

Erroll B. Davis, Jr.

President & CEO

Wisconsin Power & Light Co.

WP&L advocates that the following steps be taken to create a level playing field for merchants entering the retail market:

s Distribution rates should be fully unbundled from retail sales tariff rates.

Barbarians at the City Gate

In the wake of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 636, gas marketing entrepreneurs gained unprecedented opportunities to compete for noncore, industrial loads. That market has matured.

Frontlines

A couple weeks ago, on a beautiful Sunday morning, I picked up my briefcase and wandered down to the Potomac river shoreline to catch up on my summer reading list. There, on the Virginia side, gazing across the river at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capitol dome, I gathered strength to tackle a foot-high mound of paper.

Indiana Rules Coal Law Unconstitutional

Mirroring an earlier opinion by a federal district court, the Indiana Court of Appeals has struck down a state law that allowed regulators to offer special rate treatment and construction project preapproval to utilities that develop clean air compliance plans that would maximize the use of high-sulfur coal mined in the state. The court remanded the case to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and agreed with a prior finding by the U.S. District Court (S.D.

V