Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!tamsun.tamu.edu!mtecv2!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Newsgroups: usa-today.energy,americast.usa-today.energy Subject: energy Mon, Aug 31 1992 Message-ID: Date: 31 Aug 92 08:51:28 GMT Organization: American Cybercasting Lines: 106 Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com 08-31 0000 DECISIONLINE: Energy USA TODAY Update Aug. 31, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network OIL PRICES PUSHED HIGHER: Uncertainty over the extent of damage to oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and concern that new trouble could break out in the Persian Gulf helped push oil prices higher Friday. Light sweet crude oil for delivery in October settled up 18 cents, at $21.31 per barrel, at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Light sweet crude rose 23 cents on the week. REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS UP: Natural gas prices rose on the New York Mercantile Exchange Friday. October delivery settled at $2.115 per 1,000 cubic feet, up 17.1 cents Friday and 26.1 cents for the week. September unleaded gasoline settled at 63.28 cents a gallon, up 1.56 cents Friday and 2.71 cents for the week. September home heating oil rose 1.10 cents Friday and 1.56 cents this week, settling at 59.37 cents a gallon. RUSSIA WANTS HELP FROM JAPAN: Russia wants Japan to help it build facilities to produce nuclear power using uranium and plutonium, the Nihon Keizai newspaper said Sunday. The fuels would be obtained from dismantled nuclear weapons. Some 500 tons of highly enriched uranium and 50 to 100 tons of plutonium are expected to be recovered from the weapons, the newspaper said. RUSSIAN ENERGY COSTS TO RISE: The price of energy in Russia is likely to increase between 180% and 200% by the end of the year, Russian economic ministry officials have said, according to a report in the pro-reform newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazata. Russia is hoping to use uranium and plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons to build nuclear power plants, with help from Japan. MAINE MERGER CALLED OFF: The proposed merger between Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative Inc. and Maine Public Service Inc. has been called off because of the cooperative's involvement in a bankruptcy case. The proposed merger was to have been completed in 1994, pending approval from state and federal regulators, EMEC's creditors and the bankruptcy court. CALIFORNIA OKS SMOG EFFORT: California's Air Resources Board has approved the first unified effort of eight counties to fight smog in the San Joaquin Valley. The group's stated primary goal: Reduce emissions that cause pollution by 5% per year. EVERGREEN PIPELINE DEAL MADE: Evergreen Resources Inc. Friday announced an agreement for construction of a 30-mile steel pipeline. It will unite more than 30 existing and planned coal bed methane gas wells owned by Evergreen and other producers in and around the Rosa Unit, Rio Arriba County, N.M. Construction will begin immediately. The line is designed to handle 30 million cubic feet of gas per day. PIPELINE TO CONNECT WITH EPNGC: Under an agreement announced Friday, Evergreen Resources Inc. will own and operate approximately 14 miles of the pipeline, principally within the Rosa Unit. The pipeline will connect with El Paso Natural Gas Co.'s San Juan Gathering System, which has access to markets in California, the Southwest, and the East. NUCLEAR CLEANUP MAY BE FLAWED: The General Accounting Office said Friday a pilot nuclear site cleanup program may be flawed. The program was designed to streamline cleanup of the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons sites. The DOE says improvement is needed in contractor performance, management control and costs associated with the Environmental Restoration Management Contractor system. EXXON TO AID ANDREW VICTIMS: Exxon Corporation said Friday it will donate $300,000 for relief activities in Florida and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Andrew. Funds will go to the American Red Cross and relief agencies in Florida and Louisiana. NO RADIACTIVITY RELEASED: A nuclear reactor owned by Commonwealth Edison Co. automatically shut down in LaSalle, Ill., last week, and several pieces of equipment malfunctioned. Officials say no radioactivity was released and there was no danger to the public or plant personnel. WPSC TO REDEEM BONDS: Wisconsin Public Service Corp. Friday filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell as much as $102 million in mortgage bonds. The utility, based in Green Bay, Wis., may issue the securities on terms to be disclosed at the time of the sale, according to an S-3 filing. Kidder, Peabody will underwrite the sale. Energy Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM