December 6
FERC has delayed the California power refund case
indefinitely. The
administrative legal proceeding is over California 's demand for nearly $9
billion in refunds for alleged wholesale electricity overcharges last
winter.
December 5
Nevada Power Company and Sierra Pacific Power have filed for a reduction in
prices on power to be delivered in 2002 and 2003. The companies filed a
formal complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission claiming that
the prices for long-term wholesale power were "the product of markets found by the Commission to be dysfunctional and not competitive" and should come
under the same price caps the FERC imposed on spot power sales in the West last June.
December 3
Avista Corp has requested a ten percent rate hike from Washington State
regulators.
October 8
FERC orders four energy companies to refund rates charged in July 2001 in
California and other western states that were above the proxy market clearing price. FERC ruled that cost justifications submitted by
Dynegy, Mirant, Reliant, and Williams were either untimely filed and/or unsupported.
September 24
A FERC Administrative Law Judge has recommended that FERC commissioners deny
the $1.9 billion in refunds sought by Pacific Northwest (PNW) municipal utilities and wholesale power buyers for power purchases when market prices
soared to record highs. The judge found: "Prices in the PNW during the period 12/25/00 - 6/20/01 were the result of a number of factors, the
shortage of supply, excess demand, drought, increased price in natural gas along with the price signals from the California markets. The PNW is a
competitive market and has been for a long time. The transactions involved in this proceeding resulted from bilateral agreements between the parties.
Under these circumstances the prices were not unreasonable or unjust and refunds should not be ordered in this proceeding."
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission has approved a 25
percent temporary electricity surcharge for Avista Utilities. The surcharge
will begin October 1 and run for 15 months.September 5
Puget Sound Energy wants to expand its time-of-day pricing trial for 12
months. Data shows a five percent shift to off-peak hours.
August 30
In comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Northwest Power
Planning Council is requesting several changes in FERC's price cap system in
order to make sure lower cost power will be available to the Northwest states this winter.
August 21
FERC hearing begins on electricity crises in Pacific Northwest states.
Northwest states claim over $1 billion in overcharges and California claims
an additional $1.5 billion.
Puget Sound Energy asks for a rate
increase.
July 25
FERC has ordered an expedited fact-finding hearing to calculate refunds for
spot market transactions in California. The Commission also ordered an evidentiary proceeding to discuss refunds for the Pacific Northwest. This
proceeding will last no longer than 30 days. The FERC order directs refunds
for the period from October 2, 2000 through June 20, 2001 and applies the refund liability to spot sales through California's organized markets
operated by the ISO and the PX.
July 18
Avista Corp. has requested an energy surcharge of 36.9 percent in Washington
and 14.7 percent in Idaho. The proposed surcharge would be applied as a uniform percentage increase to the rates for all customer classes in each
state. The temporary surcharge would be effect until the end of 2003.
June 29
BPA will raise rates 46 percent beginning on October
1. The agency had been predicting wholesale rate increase of 250 percent or more unless
utilities agreed to load reduction plans.
June 18
FERC has agreed to expand price
mitigation plan to ten other western states in addition to California.
June 13
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has scheduled an unusual Monday meeting to
discuss electricity pricing in California, a sign the panel will expand its efforts to rein in high wholesale
rates.
California officials have agreed to purchase power for years to come at prices higher than those now being paid in the daily spot
market, according to confidential government records.
June 8
The California ISO asks FERC to revoke market-based rate authority for Duke,
Dynegy, Mirant and Reliant.
June 5
With utilities promising to curtail power purchases and aluminum smelters shut down for two years, the Bonneville Power Administration may be able to
keep its wholesale price increases below 100 percent when rates go up Oct.
1.
June 4
Following the lead of their counterparts in Oregon, the
ID Public Utilities Commission approved a conservation program that rewards customers reducing their monthly demand by 10 percent from a year ago by reducing their bills by 10
percent.
May 30
Kennecott Utah Copper's decision to idle its north concentrator in Magna and lay off 235 workers may provide PacifiCorp customers in Utah with an unexpected gift: lower rates.
Utah's largest electric utility has struck a deal with the copper-mining giant to give Kennecott a credit on its monthly power bill for the estimated 20 to 25 megawatts of electricity the concentrator no longer
needs.
Seattle City Light's electrical rates yesterday went up for the third time this
year as the City Council approved a 9.3 percent increase effective July 1.
The increase comes on the heels of a 10 percent increase on New Year's Day and an 18 percent increase in
March. Council members cautioned that rates will go up a fourth time -- by about 22 percent -- in October.
May 29
Under a plan to cut electricity use, Xcel will pay
Colorado homeowners $25 for the option to cycle their air conditioners off and on during the hottest days of the
season.
May 19
A California Senate committee heard additional details on allegations of
electric companies taking advantage of the state's deregulation. The head of
the PUC testified that records show several plants in the state cut
production and then benefited when prices rose.
May 18
FERC is proposing to direct natural gas sellers and transporters serving the
California market to provide additional information as the agency continues
to investigate allegations of price gouging and market abuse. FERC noted
that it is "concerned that the price disparity between California and the
rest of the country continues."
May 17
The Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) this week approved Utah Power's proposed energy conservation program to reward customers who cut their electricity use 20 percent with an extra 20 percent off their monthly
bills. At the same time, though, the PSC ordered the utility to expand the program. It wants Utah Power to offer financial incentives to consumers who cut their electricity usage 10 percent or more.
California should form a "buyers' cartel" with Oregon and Washington to rein in soaring energy
prices, nine Calif. Assembly Democrats said yesterday.
May 16
The Bonneville Power Administration today announced an agreement with Alcoa that will
curtail operations at the Alcoa Ferndale
(Intalco) plant for up to two years and compensate workers in the interim.
The agreement is key to shrinking an upcoming region-wide wholesale electric rate increase scheduled for Oct. 1.
May 15
The California PUC has set a tiered rate structure for the way various types
of customers will be billed for electric usage. The Commission adopted a
3-cent/kilowatt-hour (kWh) rate increase on March 27, 2001. The structure charges higher rates for those who consume a higher amount over their
"baseline" rate.
May 7
FERC's April 25 order limiting electricity prices in California during an
emergency, also announced an investigation into prices charged by power generators in the other Western states.
May 3
California lieutenant governor files
lawsuit against five power companies accusing them of engaging in a
price-fixing conspiracy.
California PUC adopts 20/20 rebate program
which will provide a rebate
of 20 percent to customers who reduce their usage by at least 20% compared
to last summer.
May 2
Idaho PUC approves
rate increase averaging 23%. The rate increase includes a sliding
scale that rewards residential customers who use less energy.
April 26
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission yesterday approved the
Puget Sound Energy's proposal for time-of-day rates, as well as a conservation incentive program, to take effect May 1.
The time-of-day rates are voluntary for those eligible to participate.
The Montana Legislature has passed a resolution urging the federal
government to "take strong, short-term measures to reduce wholesale prices
throughout the Western region.
April 25
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today announced a plan
designed to bring price relief to the dysfunctional California electric
market, provide greater price certainty to buyers and sellers of electric
power, and promote conservation while encouraging investment in
generation and transmission.
Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Smith (R-OR) have introduced
a bill (S.764) which would require FERC to set wholesale electricity price
caps in the Western energy market until March 1, 2003. The proposal also
seeks to lower the cost of natural gas being sold in the West. The
legislation would affect California, Oregon, Washington state, Idaho,
Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming.
April 24
A handful of Phoenix-area hotels, including the Buttes in Tempe and two Holiday
Inns, are tacking on an energy surcharge of more than $2 per
night. Hotel energy surcharges surfaced late last year in California and recently spread to Las Vegas, where some casino hotels are collecting $3 per night to help keep the city's neon lights burning bright.
A proposal by Puget Sound Energy to charge its customers variable rates
depending on when they use power may have hit a legal hurdle. An
attorney for the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) has concluded the program would be illegal under the terms of Puget's merger agreement, signed in 1997.
April 23
FERC meeting on Wednesday will consider "price mitigation" during Stage 3
emergencies in California.
April 18
Under a plan submitted to regulators on Tuesday, residential customers within PacifiCorp's five-state territory would earn a 20 percent credit on their bills for each month they reduced electricity use by 20
percent. The program would apply to June, July, August and September, and cutbacks would be judged against energy use in the same month of 2000.
April 17
Electricity traders and market analysts said the cost per megawatt hour for Northwest power bought in advance for August is more than $500 per megawatt hour. That's about
45 percent higher than prices for May delivery and about 15 times higher than comparable prices in August of
1999, before California's energy crisis began spreading into Oregon and other Western states.
April 12
California energy expert warns prices could explode this
summer.
Two Las Vegas resorts are betting customers will pay a room surcharge to help them meet spiraling energy costs.
Harrah's International Inc. added a $3-per-night charge for customers at the 2,600-room Harrah's Las Vegas hotel, as did the Rio hotel-casino, with 2,550
suites.
The Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission refused yesterday to allow Puget Sound Energy to immediately start charging different electrical rates at different times of the
day. Commissioners said the proposed "time-of-use" rate structure saddles customers with too much financial burden while reserving benefits for the company and its shareholders.
April 10
Governor Gray Davis today announced an agreement between the Department of Water Resources, Southern California Edison, and Edison
International. The utility has agreed to a $2.76 billion deal allowing the state to buy its transmission lines.
In exchange the state's second-largest utility also agreed to a 10-year deal to provide low-cost power to customers.
FERC is meeting today with officials from 11 Western states to discuss ways to
contain
electricity shortages this summer. Governor
Kempthorne offers opening remarks.
California again asks FERC to impose price caps.
BPA warns its
rates could rise 250 percent. Conservation needed now.
April 9
In a recent filing with Colorado regulators, Xcel Energy the state's largest utility proposes to let customers decide how their natural gas is purchased.
Under the plan, ratepayers could choose either to gamble on price swings in the gas market or lock into a specific price - a more predictable, conservative approach.
April 5
California State Treasurer says more information is needed on what
California is paying for power before he can start to sell bonds to finance purchases
of electricity.
March 30
Fines or no fines, NW must conserve. 'Hot tub police' aren't needed yet, but electricity hogs need to clean up their act.
March 29
Washington State utility regulators will be taking a close look at a proposal by Puget Sound Energy to
charge customers more for power consumed during hours of peak
use. Customers would pay nearly four times the price for electricity between 5 and 9 p.m. The cheapest price would be on Sundays, holidays and between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
FERC has ordered hearings into allegations by the California PUC that El
Paso Corp. conspired to use its market power to drive up natural gas prices
in California.
March 27
In a 5-0 vote, the California Public Utilities Commission has approved
electricity rate increases of up to 46 percent in order to try to head off
blackouts this summer and keep the state's two biggest utilities from going bankrupt.
In a compliance filing with FERC, Duke Energy said it would offer
to drop $19.8 million in so-called "credit premiums," but only if it receives
payment from California. FERC has said that charges above $273 per megawatt
hour for power supplied in January and $430 per megawatt hour in February during the Stage 3 alerts are the highest rates that any supplier could
charge without triggering suspicion of gouging. A Duke spokesman said the utility has not been paid for the two months and called the additional
charges "credit premiums" -- typical fees within the industry. Suppliers often charge customers more if they have bad credit or suspect they will be
unable to pay, Duke Energy said.
March 26
PacifiCorp has filed for a power cost adjustment that would result in a 24
percent rate increase in Oregon. If approved by the Oregon Public Utility
Commission, the rate would go into effect in May.
The head of the California Public Utilities Commission has proposed a 40
percent increase in electricity rates. The proposal is on the March 27 agenda of the
Commission.
March 22
According to a report prepared for the California ISO, electricity
wholesalers overcharged state consumers more than $6 billion since last May.
March 21
The Oregon Public Utility Commission today approved new energy portfolio options that will be available to residential and small nonresidential customers of Portland General Electric
(PGE) and PacifiCorp this fall. The portfolio includes incentives to create new sources of energy, maintains traditional cost-of-service rates, and will offer consumers more choices and options than they have ever had before.
March 16
FERC has issued a notice of proxy prices for February wholesale electricity transactions in California of $430 per megawatthour (about 20 times higher
that prices in the Eastern Interconnection). The proxy prices would result
in refunds of $55 million.
March 15
The California state Senate is launching an investigation into whether electric power companies illegally manipulated California's electricity
market. Senate leader John Burton announced the formation of the select special committee
Wednesday. Burton said the committee will ask executives of energy wholesalers to testify, and subpoena them if necessary. The
power wholesalers have denied any wrongdoing and noted that previous investigations have not
found illegal activity. The California ISO has said the suppliers imposed $555 million in unreasonable charges in December and
January.
Governor Martz testifies before Congress opposing
price caps. Governor Locke testifies in favor
of price caps.
March 14
FERC has issued a order to AES and Williams "to explain why the power
marketing companies should not be found to have violated the Federal Power Act by
engaging in actions that inflated electric power prices in the California market and
potentially compromising the reliability of the transmission network." The investigation centers on the unavailability of certain so-called must run
generating units owned by AES Southland, Inc.
March 12
Governors Davis (CA), Lock (WA) and Kitzhaber (OR) have requested a
temporary price cap on the cost of power charged by generators in the western
states. In a letter to FERC, the three governors suggested a "cost-based" price cap for power purchased in the spot market. Under the
proposal, generators would be allowed to recover all of their costs and provide a small level of profit of approximately
$25/Mwh.
March 9
FERC ordered 13 California power producers to either make refunds for
certain power sales or provide further justification of their prices. Total potential refunds or offsets in the ISO and PX markets are approximately
$69 million for January 2001 transactions.
February 28
In Wyoming Governor Geringer signed into law the first bill
establishes a net metering program in the
state.
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