News

Open Season Volumes Available

Last Friday, December 5, 2003, eligible customers returned their extension offers to California Gas Transmission, indicating their desire to hold 2004 backbone transportation and storage contracts. Now that the volume of extended contracts is known, CGT announces volumes available in the 2004 Open Season:

Step Into the Future

Whether hot or cold, firm services have proven their value over time. Seasoned California players will remember when cold weather filled both the Redwood and Baja paths for months. The Open Season offers all the benefits of firm services at the best price available, the annual firm rate. And for the first time, the Open Season offers these services for terms from one to fifteen years.

The forthcoming CPUC decision on Gas Accord II - 2004, expected to affirm CGT's current Gas Accord market structure through 2005, will lift the fog of uncertainty from northern California. Step into a clear future with the Open Season, your best opportunity to secure the reliable and familiar services you want at a great price.

Updated Open Season Documents

Today CGT updated the Extension and Open Season Index to include the final version of Request for Firm Service. This is the official document required to request capacity in the Open Season.

CGT also made a few minor revisions to the Guide to the Extension and Open Season:

• Removed references to a December 5, 2003, CPUC decision, since that is no longer a possibility.
• Updated the Guide's timelines to match the Revised Timeline posted to Pipe Ranger December 4, 2003, and to refer to Pipe Ranger for updates on rates and the standard firm storage program.
• Added reference to the opportunity for informed commitment announced on December 4, 2003.
• Corrected the maximum Open Season request volumes shown on pages 8 and 9 of the Guide. The maximum volume any party, including affiliates, may request for any Open Season service is the total volume offered for that service in the Open Season.

Green Light from the Alternate PD

On December 4, 2003, California Public Utilities Commission President Peevey issued an Alternate Proposed Decision (APD) in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Gas Accord II -- 2004 Application. The APD, like the Proposed Decision issued November 18, would approve the 2004 Extension and Open Season. Both the APD and the PD would adopt the same 2004 rates for backbone transportation and storage. The full text of the APD is available from the CPUC's Web site.

CGT expects the CPUC to adopt a final decision approving the Extension and Open Season on December 18, 2003. In the meantime, green lights from both proposed decisions give the Open Season every reason to move full speed ahead.

Please contact your California Gas Transmission Representative if you have any questions about the Open Season.