Bruce W. Radford is editor in chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly.
Path 15 Upgrade. California ISO (Cal-ISO) runs into opposition with its unprecedented plan in Tariff Amendment 63 to make the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) a "partial" participating transmission owner in the ISO, in trade for WAPA's 10 percent capacity interest (150 MW) in the Path 15 upgrade. Utilities complain that WAPA will receive a 10 percent share of FTRs and congestion revenues, though PG&E and TransElect will have paid for 99.5 percent of the line construction costs. FERC Dkt. Nos. EL04-133, ER04-1198, protests filed Sept. 29, 2004.
Gas Bypass Pipelines. Oregon appeals court reverses a state public utility commission (PUC) order, says a group of industrial gas users would violate state law providing for exclusive utility franchise rights if it forms a cooperative to bypass the local gas distribution utility and construct a pipeline to deliver gas to its members at retail. NW Nat Gas Co. v. Or. PUC, Nos. 01C-18514, Oct. 13, 2004.
Power Line Communications. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) OKs new rules for BPL (Broadband Over Power Line) systems to create a competitive regulatory framework for the use of existing electric utility lines to provide high-speed communications. ET Dkt. Nos. 04-36, 03-104, Oct. 14, 2004.