Top News
Ore. lawmakers say cap-and-trade is on 2019 agenda
Oregon lawmakers are looking to 2019 to again take up a plan to create a cap-and-trade program to cut greenhouse gas emissions after the Legislature adjourned without taking action on the proposal.
Managing tax cut, savings presents near-term 'challenge' for utilities
Regulated electric utilities have been put on watch by credit rating agencies and are ramping up equity offerings, while near-term rate reductions take shape across regulatory jurisdictions, as the impacts of federal tax reform play out.
LNG, pipeline project backers worry about added costs from steel tariff
A 25% tariff on imported steel would drive a wedge between the U.S. and its allies and raise construction costs for energy infrastructure, including the $43 billion Alaska LNG project, one of Alaska's two senators said at an industry conference in Houston.
Greens say Colo. agency used flawed figures in coal mine expansion permit
Environmentalists are challenging a draft state air pollution permit for the planned expansion of a Colorado coal mine, suggesting that the state agency erred on its calculation of the projected discharges of polluting gas.
Power
* Investments in energy blockchain startups are soaring, totaling $300 million since the third quarter of 2017, half of which came in January 2018 alone, according to a new report from Wood Mackenzie's GTM Research unit. Most of that surge is thanks to a fresh but controversial form of crowdfunding known as initial coin offerings.
* North American Electric Reliability Corp. is seeking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval to transfer 122 affected entities to the Midwest Reliability Organization and the SERC Reliability Corp. by July 1, following the termination of the responsibilities of the Southwest Power Pool regional entity.
* PacifiCorp has asked Wyoming regulators to approve ratemaking treatment of $2.45 billion for its proposed investments in wind and transmission projects in the state.
* The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is proposing an approximately $1.3 million against Alabama Power Co.
* Ninety-six of the 99 U.S. commercial nuclear power plants operating in 2017 were assessed to be in the two highest performance categories of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
* The Oklahoma Corporation Commission issued an order granting its Public Utility Division's motion to reopen the prehearing conference on Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.'s rate case.
* Separately, S&P Global Ratings lowered its rating outlooks on OGE Energy Corp. and subsidiary Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. to negative on weaker financial measures.
* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized 22 deregulatory actions during Administrator Scott Pruitt's first year in office, which "could save Americans more than $1 billion in regulatory costs," the agency said in a statement.
* Former New York City Mayor and Philanthropist Michael Bloomberg has been appointed United Nations Secretary General António Guterres' special envoy for climate action.
* The New Mexico Supreme Court is supporting a decision by the state Public Regulation Commission to allow Public Service Co. of New Mexico to close a part of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station and replace lost capacity with other energy sources, The Associated Press.
* Portland General Electric Co. has released a draft request for proposals for 100 MWa of renewable power generating resources. The independent evaluator Bates White will monitor the company's procurement process.
* Residential solar installers in Oregon could be at risk after the state legislature failed to adopt a new incentive program, the Portland Business Journal reported.
Natural gas/Oil
* The relationship between oil and gas interests and federal regulators has improved significantly under President Donald Trump, which could lead to a smoother infrastructure build-out, a U.S. senator and a pipeline CEO said at the opening forum of the industry conference CERAWeek by IHS Markit.
* S&P Global Ratings assigned a B+ corporate credit rating to USA Compression Partners LP. The Austin, Texas-based partnership is buying Energy Transfer Partners LP's compression business in a deal valued at about $1.8 billion.
* Oil and natural gas major Total SA sees itself more as a gas-first, then-oil company as the French firm looks to leverage its recently announced acquisition of Engie SA to invest more in natural gas and electricity in the coming years.
* The U.S. Bureau of Land Management removed some parcels in South Central Montana from the upcoming March oil and gas lease sale to evaluate potential environmental impacts.
* Rockies Express Pipeline LLC is hoping to add roughly 1 Bcf/d of hub service capacity near the western end of its system to flow more gas produced in Colorado's DJ Basin to other interstate pipelines.
* Mettle Midstream Partners LLC secured an initial equity commitment of $100 million from Pearl Investments Ltd. and Natural Gas Partners. Mettle Midstream Partners is a newly formed full-service midstream company serving producers operating in unconventional shale plays across North America.
Coal
* Coal exports from the Hampton Roads port facilities in Virginia soared 26.7% year over year to 3.5 million tons in February and climbed 21.8% from January's total, according to data obtained March 5 from the Virginia Maritime Association.
* A FirstEnergy Corp. unit has been cited for several "serious" safety violations that led to the deaths of two workers in late August 2017 at its Bruce Mansfield coal plant in Beaver County, Pa.
Commodities
* After advancing by 0.9 cent to settle at $2.704/MMBtu in the week's opening session, NYMEX April natural gas futures extended higher overnight ahead of the Tuesday, March 6, open on the back of ongoing albeit limited weather-related demand support.
* Next-day power values could be lifted Tuesday, March 6, by predominantly elevated demand at midweek and ongoing marginal gains in natural gas.
* A fresh look at U.S. crude oil industry infrastructure is required as crude oil production is expected to exceed 11 million barrels per day by 2023, analysts said.

New from RRA
* The Tennessee Public Utility Commission issued
Quoted
"The gap between refinery capacity growth and refined product demand growth has never been so large in recent history. … Refiners' worries about their future market share are not exaggerated," the International Energy Agency said in its "Oil 2018: Analysis and Forecasts to 2023" report.
The day ahead
* The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. ET to consider the nomination of James Reilly to be director of the U.S. Geological Survey.
* The U.S. Committee On Science, Space and Technology's subcommittee on energy will hold a hearing on the future of U.S. fusion energy research at 10 a.m. ET.
* Early morning futures indicators pointed to a higher opening for the U.S. equity markets. To view more SNL equity market indexes, click here. To view more SNL Energy commodities prices, click here.
The Daily Dose is updated as of 7:30 a.m. ET. Some links may require registration or a subscription. S&P Global Ratings and S&P Global Market Intelligence are owned by S&P Global Inc.
