Top News
'We are collateral damage': Gas industry grapples with political winds
Political resistance to fossil fuels has buffeted a U.S. LNG export industry that is mostly optimistic about increasing its shipments of record-high domestic gas output to world markets. Industry observers say the natural gas sector, which faces challenges from U.S. West Coast cities and Democratic presidential candidates, needs to address environmental concerns and make the case for the role of their product in a diverse energy mix.
Study: Warren's fracking ban could lead to big drop in US oil production
Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has said that if elected, she would sign an executive order to implement "a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases, including for drilling offshore and on public lands," on her first day in office. Industry allies are likely to challenge any such ban in court, which could lead to an injunction, but the analysts said that unopposed, the ban would have a detrimental effect on the industry.
JEA narrows applicant pool to 9 in solicitation for new ownership structures
JEA has whittled its list of applicants for new business strategy proposals down to nine companies, bringing the Jacksonville, Fla., utility one step closer to picking a suitor to overhaul its business. The municipal utility solicited applicants with plans to "future-proof" the business, maintain the utility's value at a minimum of $3 billion, distribute at least $400 million to customers and protect certain employee retirement benefits.
Met coal price hits bottom after recent fall, analyst predicts
The global metallurgical coal market may have hit bottom, at least for now, according to Seaport Global Securities LLC analyst Mark Levin, and producers have faced relatively few supply issues in recent weeks. After hitting a three-year low of $137/tonne in late September, the S&P Global Platts spot price for premium low-volatile metallurgical coal rose to $152/tonne, Levin wrote in an Oct. 15 note.
Other energy headlines
* The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Dominion Energy Inc. subsidiary Virginia Electric and Power Co.'s application to transfer its power purchase and operating agreement for the output of the 242.3-MW Birchwood coal plant to power marketer and service company Con Edison Energy Inc.
* Parsley Energy Inc.'s agreed-upon $2.27 billion merger with Jagged Peak Energy Inc. is drawing reactions from across the spectrum from industry analysts, with some strongly supporting the move and others wondering what motivated Parsley to undertake such a transaction.
* PG&E Corp. and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. secured $34.35 billion in bridge financing commitment from a group of lenders. Separately, the boards of directors of the utility and its parent elected William Smith and John Woolard as directors, effective immediately.
Negative sentiment has weighed on oil equities even as oil prices have moved higher over the course of the year, but barring a recession, slowing productivity gains among U.S. producers and lower capital spending may improve sentiment in 2020, analysts say.
Research and data
Financial Focus: Legislation partially insulates Edison International from wildfire liabilities
RRA Regulatory Focus: Focus on FERC — Calif. cases involving PG&E, SCE ROEs highlight agenda
RRA Regulatory Focus: Ariz. stakeholders propose to scale back Tucson Electric Power rate request
Regulatory Roundup: Court OKs Blackjewel eastern permit transfer; Democrats subpoena DOE secretary
Top pick of the day
Avangrid, PPL merger would be one of the largest utility mergers this year
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