Regulation
Icap will not pay Prebon’s £2m damage claim
Icap has no intention of recognising rival broker Prebon’s £2 million claim for damages after a dispute over the employment of three Icap coal brokers, according to its director of corporate affairs Mike Sheard.
Deutsche asks SEC to clarify guidelines
Deutsche Bank claims the SEC’s guidelines for estimating oil reserves are outdated. And Shell, unsurprisingly,also believes that the SEC should clarify its reserve rules. By Joe Marsh
Taking stock
Stock options are losing favour as a method of remuneration. Chicago-based PeoplesEnergy, for one, is to stop offering them altogether. And the onset of new USaccounting rules could well lead others to follow suit. By Paul Lyon
Duke gets all clear on accounting investigation
The US Department of Justice has closed its grand jury investigation into issues related to Duke Power’s regulatory reporting, concluding that no action is warranted against the company. Duke, the North Carolina-based energy company, was informed of the…
Erasing Enron
Enron’s story may finally be drawing to a close. Jeffrey Skilling has finally been indicted and the company’s creditors have begun receiving ballots to vote on a plan of reorganisation. By Paul Lyon
Bank of America settles for $17.85m in weather derivatives lawsuit
For four years, Bank of America has been seeking recompense for a weather derivatives deal written by the now-defunct CWWIA. Finally, the bank has settled its case. By Paul Lyon
Taking the slow road
Recent developments suggest that clearing is likely to gain widespread acceptance in the European energy market. Market participants feel it is a question of how and when – not if – robust, liquid solutions will emerge. By Joe Marsh
University of California adds four to Enron lawsuit
The University of California continues to add plaintiffs to its lawsuit against Enron. RBC, Goldman Sachs and two law firms are now facing the university’s wrath. By Paul Lyon
Ex-Merrill Lynch energy trader pleads guilty to fraud
At 24, Daniel Gordon headed Merrill Lynch’s energy trading business. He has now pleaded guilty to a $43 million fraud. Paul Lyon reports
LNG drive gears up
The global push for LNG has reached a new level – particularly in the US. Big players had projects rubber-stamped or proposed further terminals, and the inaugural LNG summit took place. Joe Marsh reports
Nuclear stockpile
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has come under fire for not adequately monitoring the decommissioning funds of nuclear power plants. But the NRC says the criticism is unwarranted. By Paul Lyon
Flexible bonds
A depressed power market means major firms face an uphill struggle to refinancetheir debt. But a commodity hedge has given US energy giant Calpine Corp considerableflexibility in its $800 million bond issue. By James Ockenden
The future of ETRM
As generation, trading and retailing companies come out from under the dark cloud to prepare for what looks to be a brighter future, one issue has become critical – the need to upgrade outdated ETRM systems with 21st century architecture, portfolio…
Creative challenges in customer-driven risk management
Shell Trading’s Ken Gustafson and Jemmina Gualy shed light on the environment in North America for customers and dealers in risk management, and look at the opportunities ahead for the business
Weathering the problems
Weather derivatives can reduce or eliminate the potential economic disastersthat extreme weather can provoke. Ross McIntyre of Deutsche Bank examines thevarious ways in which weather can affect key industries and reviews the benefitsof weather derivatives
A dark futurefor clearing
Clearing was the energy buzz word of early 2003. But as Clearing Bank Hannover goes into liquidation and the future of EnergyClear’s business remains uncertain, it seems energy clearing has lost its appeal. By Paul Lyon
Arnie’s energy plan faces opposition
Californian governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger is facing stiff opposition and awkward questions over his energy deregulation plans. In particular, one consumer group is concerned about the implications of his meeting with formerEnron chairman Ken Lay…
Scaling the credit cliff
How are designers of credit risk software reacting to the new credit realities of the energy trading sector? Kevin Foster talks to some leading companies to find out
Trying to model reality
Quantitative credit risk models are a must-have in today’s energy industry. But human judgement is still needed, as Maria Kielmas discovers
Cross-border conundrums
Analysts at rating agency Standard & Poor’s Lee Munden and Paul Lund look at the future of cross-border trading in Europe, given the credit crises of 2002
Power asset prices plummet
The energy price boom may be over, but bargain hunters beware: the predicted sale of US generation assets is yet to occur. Kevin Foster reports
Own, sell or restructure
UK and US utilities are presently saddled with a lot of debt, thanks to overcapacity and low power prices. But what’s the best way for these firms to deal with the power plants they don’t need? By Jessica McCallin
Bearing the brunt
Building contractor bankruptcies of have recently stressed the credit profiles of several power projects in the US. Standard & Poor’s Scott Taylor and Tobias Hsieh look at how sponsors and lenders responded and the effects on the various parties
Exchanges gradually gain pace
After much talk of new trading solutions for German power, only one platform – EEX – has made significant progress, although the new clearing solution from Clearing Bank Hannover seems to be picking up steam. James Ockenden reports