News
People swaps
Buchanan appointed Ofgem chief executive UK energy regulator the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has appointed Alistair Buchanan as chief executive. Previously head of European utilities research at Dutch bank ABN Amro, Buchanan (pictured)…
Rothschild enters oil risk sector
Heading the senior team is Martin Fraenkel, previously managing director of JPMorgan Chase's global commodities group in London. Fraenkel has recruited hissenior team from outside Rothschild. KamalInvestment bank Rothschild has entered the oil risk…
Calpine completes project financing in Wisconsin
California power company Calpine Corp has completed a $230 million non-recourse project financing for its 600-megawatt (MW) gas-fuelled electricity-generating Riverside Energy Center in Beloit, Wisconsin.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange to list European weather contracts
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has started offering European weather derivatives, referenced on five cities’ temperatures.
Barrier to entry
Bank of America and UBS are still trying to overcome obstacles that could prevent them entering physical power trading in the US. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations represent the biggest obstacle. Paul Lyon reports
US body calls for electricity reliability organisation
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) says the creation of an electricity reliability organisation with regulatory oversight is vital for developing and enforcing mandatory reliability rules and standards for US power sector participants.
Enron files complaint against six of its former banks
Houston-based Enron last month filed a court complaint against six of its former banks, claiming they gave bad financial advice that contributed to its demise in late 2001. As a bankrupt company, Enron is required to try to recover as much as it can for…
Hedge out on the highway
US haulage firms seem to be making little use of risk management tools to mitigate high fuel prices. But parcel carriers are taking the initiative, finds Kevin Foster
Allegheny reduces trading exposure with contract sale
Maryland-based Allegheny Energy has reduced its exposure to energy trading by selling an energy supply contract to a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs for $405 million.
Chicago Climate Exchange live in Octoberwith contract sale
The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions market, will start trading on October 10, it said in August. CCX also said it has contracted Atlanta-based online commodities exchange IntercontinentalExchange (Ice) to design, provide…
People swaps
BOC’s Mortimer to join European energy users’ body Hugh Mortimer, commercial manager at UK industrial group BOC, has been invited to join the board of the International Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers Europe (IFIEC). He will replace David…
Water faces rising costs
UK water utilities are expecting rising electricity and environmental costs as they and their regulator prepare for the next five-year price review. Maria Kielmas reports
Utilities cut spending on IT
Energy utilities have cut spending on IT by 13% so far this year, according to the initial results of a study by Connecticut-based consultancy the Meta Group.
Royal Bank of Canada reaches agreement over Enron case
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has reached a settlement agreement with Enron, the Enron creditors’ committee and Dutch firm Rabobank, resolving aspects of a share transaction known as ‘Cerberus’. The transaction also involved the use of total return…
WRMA to campaign on data and against normalisation
Lynda Clemmons, president of the US Weather Risk Management Association (WRMA), is to sit on an American Meteorological Society (AMS) panel to address issues in the weather industry involving weather data and public-private partnerships.
Tennessee’s valley of debt
Tennessee Valley Authority’s power plant financing arrangements should be measured as debt, says the US General Accounting Office, thereby putting further pressure on its politically sensitive and federally restricted debt levels. Paul Lyon reports
Isda and EEI collaborate on Power Annex
The New York-based International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) and US trade body the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) published a North American Power Annex to the Isda Master Agreement in August.
Correction – Allegro: The following text should have been included in the software vendor directory in last month’s (July) issue.
Allegro Development has provided energy firms with transaction and risk management software solutions for almost 20 years. Founded in 1984, Allegro provides an industry-leading set of customisable energy software components for companies including…
UK energy brokers form association
Nine brokers operating in the over-the-counter energy markets in the UK formed the London Energy Brokers’ Association (LEBA) in July.
People Swaps
ABN Amro hires global energy trading head Dutch bank ABN Amro has hired Jonathan Arginteanu to the newly created positionof senior vice-president and deputy head of global energy trading operationsin New York. He was previously head of rival bank BNP…
Mirant bankruptcy is not terminal
US energy firm Mirant’s July bankruptcy filing bucks the recent trend of last-minute restructuring deals that have saved many of its rivals from a similar fate. But analysts say the company is likely to emerge from its filing with at least some of its…
LNG not a short-term supply fix, warns US research firm
Liquified natural gas (LNG) will have a minimal impact on a significant US gas storage shortfall in the winter of 2003/2004, despite its long-term promise, says Energy Security Analysis Inc (Esai), a Boston-based research firm.
Management buys out SG’s weather and cat bond funds
Société Générale’s (SG) weather derivatives team completed an amicable management buyout of the weather division at the French bank. The buyout creates what is believed to be the largest range of dedicated weather derivative and catastrophe bond funds,…
People swaps
SG reshuffles project finance and utilities divisions SG Corporate & Investment Banking, a subsidiary of Société Générale, has named Matthew Vickerstaff and Roger Bredder as the respective heads of project finance for Europe and the Americas. London…