EnergyWindow MarketElert ^TM - February 2004
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February Elerts

	NJ BGS Auction - New Jersey's Basic Generation Service auction for the year beginning in June 2004 has been conducted and the results approved by the NJ BPU on Wednesday February 11. The state's entire load was up for grabs via Internet auction. New shopping credits need to be proposed by utilities and approved by the BPU. More at www.bgs-auction.com.
	Maryland Standard Offer Service Auctions - Tranche I bids are due on 2/9/04 with results approved on 2/13/04; Tranche II bids are due 2/23 with results approved on 2/27; Tranche III bids must be in on 3/8 with approvals on 3/12. New prices for the state's customers will begin at different times beginning in May. More at Maryland Standard Offer Order.
	Michigan - The PUC has approved the elimination of the Equalization Credit portion of transition costs, thus increasing the Retail Access Service Tariff (RAST) by 2.8 mills for primary service and 4.8 mills for secondary service.
	Texas - The PUC has found that at least 40% of load for customers <1 MW has switched to alternate suppliers in Oncor, AEP Texas Central and AEP Texas North service territories. This opens the door for the affiliated Retail Electric Providers in these areas to sell to customers with load below 1 MW, and to possibly start offering Price-to-Beat rates below those mandated by the PUC.

A Peek into the Futures

Gas prices have moved considerably higher in the past several weeks and, because so much of the electricity generated today uses natural gas, electricity prices have risen right along with them. This has resulted in many deregulated markets moving into a hibernation caused by default rates that were set during lower-cost periods. Suppliers and buyers alike would love to know when the markets will move and in what direction. Sources such as the Department of Energy's Energy Information Agency (EIA) and a host of consultants and analysts offer their opinions, but we can also get some good insight from the futures markets, where commodity traders turn information into actual transactions. EnergyWindow sorts through this complex picture and offers buyers some timely insight into where prices may be going. Click here for the expanded article.