Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

At its first-ever annual meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, GISB also was gently chided and commended by James J. Hoecker of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC): "I submit to you that GISB must not, in an attempt to please everyone, set standards at the lowest common denominator.

Almost everyone in America has heard of Cal Ripken, Jr. But have you ever wondered what you and the utility industry have in common with him?There are at least three things. Let me tell you how I know.

On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive baseball games played. I was privileged to attend that special game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with my son Michael.

contract, although the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has yet to approve the new rates. These companies will now take 75 percent of their total requirements from BPA (about 1,300 Mw).

John Anderson is jumping out of his shoes. And his socks, too. His group, the Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON, where Anderson serves as executive director) may at last get its way.During a few weeks in October, a good half-dozen energy industry players (em including utilities and regulators (em came out in favor of customer choice for electric and gas service.

Imagine if the airlines had followed a utility model when they deregulated back in 1978.You and five other planeloads show up at the airport to catch a flight to Chicago. Every few hours the airport operator holds an auction for the next hour's Chicago flights. Delta offers two new 767's at $200 per ticket. U.S. Air bids one 737 at $300. American has six

DC-9's and bids each one at $1,000 per head. When the auction ends, Delta and U.S. Air fill their planes.

The New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) has filed an amendment to its agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), seeking to open the power pool's membership to power marketers and brokers involved in the wholesale power business. Prior to the amendment, only electric utilities with retail customers, their affiliates, and independent power producers were eligible for membership. According to Frank Sabatino, chairman of NEPOOL's executive committee, the action is a significant first step in redefining NEPOOL's role in the increasingly competitive bulk-power market.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued two final rules that seek to reduce the filing burden on the natural gas industry. One simplifies the Uniform System of Accounts and the FERC's reporting requirements (Docket No. RM95-4-000). The other simplifies the filing requirements for making rate and tariff changes under Part 154 of the regulations (Docket No. RM95-3-000).

The rules recognize that most interstate pipelines now serve as transporters rather than as merchants.

Mid-American Energy Co., Illinois Power Co., Wisconsin Power & Light Co., Western Resources, Inc., IES Utilities, and Commonwealth Electric Co.

"We consider this a success story," said FERC chair Elizabeth A. Moler. "While we still have a long way to go, this is real progress.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposed amendment to the NEPOOL agreement that would have 1) facilitated negotiation of energy-only transactions by and among pool members, and 2) eliminated an otherwise applicable rate discount for transmitting energy involved in certain of those sales (Docket No. ER95-1466-000).A key aspect of NEPOOL operations is sharing of reserves. Each member is assigned a capacity responsibility equal to its load plus a share of the pool's combined reserve requirement.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a comprehensive settlement for Southern Natural Gas Co. (SNG), resolving the company's costs associated with its transition to Order 636. The settlement resolves

23 rate cases, reduces rates, and provides about

$146 million in customer refunds (Docket No. RP89-224-000, et al.). Protesting parties have been severed from the case.

The refunds, plus $9.1 million contributed by SNG, will serve as a credit toward customers' liability for SNG's cost of realigning gas supplies under Order 636.