![](media/image1.jpeg){width="8.5in" height="3.5027777777777778in"}U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

**Office of Electricity, Delivery and\
Energy Reliability**

**ENERGY ASSURANCE DAILY**

**August 18, 2005**

######## Electricity

# New Center to Improve Security of National Power Grid

The National Science Foundation on Monday announced that they would
provide \$7.5 million to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for
a national center to improve the security of the national power grid.
The center, to be called the Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for the
Power Grid, will task 19 scientists with creating network protocols to
ensure that operating companies can share power grid information quickly
in the event of an emergency.

[http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5BefnonlkUTlit%3EEvbfek%5Cv](http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp^%5BefnonlkUTlit>Evbfek\v)

### 

## Approaches Differ but Utilities Coping with Coal Transportation Bottleneck 

According to the Edison Electric Institute, most utilities affected by
the work on the rail lines are coping and while stockpiles are lower
than normal, operations are stable. However, for those utilities
primarily dependent on Wyoming coal, operations have been modified to
meet the reduced supply. Utilities are reducing coal-fired operations,
buying power elsewhere, selling less power to others, and in some cases
already seeking to pass on the increased costs. One of the railroads
involved indicated that although it shipped more coal in June and July
than a year ago it was unable to meet the increased demand. One of the
large coal producers in the area said that it shipped four million fewer
tons than originally projected during the second quarter.

<http://pro.energycentral.com/professional/news/power/news_article.cfm?id=5887000>

## Ameren's Callaway Plant to Get 50 MW Boost in Capacity

The Callaway nuclear generating station of Ameren UE will be upgraded to
increase efficiency. The upgrade will replace existing generators and
turbines, adding 50 MW to the capacity of the plant bringing the total
capacity to approximately 1,200 MW. The plant will shut down for
approximately 70 days beginning in September so that the new generators
and turbines can be installed.

<http://www.energycentral.com/centers/news/daily/article.cfm?aid=5887138>

**Construction to Begin on New Wisconsin Coal-fired Power Plant**

Bechtel Power Corp has received a notice-to-proceed for construction of
Wisconsin Energy's 1,354 MW Power the Future coal-fired generating
station.

[http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5BefnlijoYTlit%3EEvbfek%5Cv](http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp^%5BefnlijoYTlit>Evbfek\v)

## APS's 745 MW Four Corners 5 Coal-fired Unit in Arizona Shut August 18

Reuters 14:25, August 18, 2005

## PG&E's 407 MW Helms 1 Hydro Unit in California Shut August 18

Reuters 14:25, August 18, 2005

######## 

######## Petroleum

## Update-Sunoco Restarts Philadelphia Crude Unit

The company restarted its 200,000-barrel per day crude unit at the
Girard Point portion of its Philadelphia oil refinery on Wednesday. The
unit was shut August 6 after a fire.

Reuters 15:41, August 18, 2005

## Refiners Face Dilemma Over MTBE Use

The newly passed energy bill eliminates the requirement for U.S.
refiners to use oxygenates in their gasoline to make it burn more
cleanly. Refiners must decide whether to continue to use MTBE and face
potential liability over water contamination issues or turn to ethanol
additives and face possible supply shortages; ethanol is more expensive
and difficult to transport. The nations largest MTBE producer, Valero
Energy, last month decided to phase out MTBE in its gasoline supplies.

Reuters 12:45, August 18, 2005

**Natural Gas**

### 

## Group Asks California Court to Overturn LNG Contract Order

A California environmental group on Wednesday requested that the state's
Court of Appeals overturn a 2004 PUC order authorizing gas utilities to
sign long-term contracts with LNG suppliers. The Ratepayers for
Affordable Clean Energy claimed that the decision to allow the contracts
was made on the false presumption that domestic natural gas supplies are
declining.

[http://www.platts.com/Natural%20Gas/headlines.jsp](http://www.platts.com/Natural Gas/headlines.jsp)

######## 

######## Other News

Nothing to Report

######## Energy Prices 

+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
|                               | **Latest  | **Week    | **Year     |
|                               | (08       | Ago**     | Ago**      |
|                               | /18/05)** |           |            |
+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
| **CRUDE OIL**                 | 63.47     | 65.67     | 47.36      |
|                               |           |           |            |
| **West Texas Intermediate     |           |           |            |
| US**                          |           |           |            |
|                               |           |           |            |
| \$/Barrel                     |           |           |            |
+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
| **NATURAL GAS**               | 9.38      | 8.55      | 5.36       |
|                               |           |           |            |
| **Henry Hub**                 |           |           |            |
|                               |           |           |            |
| \$/Million Btu                |           |           |            |
+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+

> Source: Reuters

**This Week in Petroleum** from the Energy Information Administration
(EIA)

[*http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip.asp*](http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip.asp)

Updated on Wednesdays

**Weekly Petroleum Status Report** from EIA**\
**[*http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/weekly_petroleum_status_report/wpsr.html*](http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/weekly_petroleum_status_report/wpsr.html)

Updated after 1:00pm (Eastern time) on Wednesdays

**Natural Gas Weekly Update** from EIA

[*http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp*](http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/ngw/ngupdate.asp)

Updated after 2:00 pm (Eastern time) on Thursdays

**ENSEC threat awareness blog site** from Energy Assurance

[*http://ensec.blogspot.com*](http://ensec.blogspot.com/)