![](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 4, 2005**

######## Electricity

**Peak Demand Records Expected This Week**

As hot, humid weather blankets the regions, Mid−Atlantic and Midwest
power grid operators expect this week's demand for electricity to exceed
records set last week. The grid operators noted that several utilities
have called on customers to conserve energy to avoid losses of power.

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=URI:urn:newsml:reuters.com:20050803:MTFH69335_2005−08−03_17−00−24_N03692900:1

**40,000 Customers Lose Power in Billings MT August 3**

A fire and transformer explosion cut power to 40,000 NorthWestern Energy
customers for about 90 minutes midday Wednesday. Downtown Billings,
Laurel and Columbus were affected. Electricity was cut to 2,500 more
customers of Yellowstone Valley Electric Co-op, which receives power
from NorthWestern.

<http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2005/08/04/newsstate/hjjejbjfjjfaig.txt>

<http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?tts=1&display=rednews/2005/08/04/build/local/25-blackout.inc>

# 

**Amtrak Loses Power North of Philadelphia- Reduces Service**

A commuter train hit an electrical wire and cut power to Amtrak trains
traveling north of Philadelphia at about 6:30 pm August 3. As of 8 a.m.
Wednesday, power had been restored to 3 of 4 tracks. The power outage
disrupted service all along the line, which runs between Washington,
D.C. and Boston.

<http://www.nbc4.com/travelgetaways/4807894/detail.html>

<http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14975607&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=6>

**Ontario System Operator Cuts Voltage by 5%, Warns of Possible
Blackouts**

The Independent Electricity System Operator in Ontario imposed a five
percent cut in voltage for the second day in a row as the Canadian
province experienced a heat wave. The System Operator in Ontario also
warned that if the voltage reduction proved to be ineffective in
relieving the strain on the system, rolling blackouts could become
necessary.

Reuters 15:16, August 4, 2005

**TXU's Martin Lake Unit 3 Seen Returning to Service on August 5**

In filing to Texas regulators, TXU reported that it would restart its
750 MW Martin Lake Unit facility sometime on August 5.

Reuters 7:27, August 4, 2005

######## Petroleum

**Restart of Sunoco Toledo Refinery Fails**

The restart of the Sunoco 150,000 Toledo refinery on August 3, failed
according to traders. The refinery has been shut since it was struck by
lightning in July.

Reuters 9:57, August 4, 2005

**Restart of ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery Delayed?**

Trade sources report that the restart of the 245,000 b/d ExxonMobil
Joilet Refinery which had been expected to begin as early as August 4,
has been delayed possibly by as much as 10 days. However, the company
denied that the facility would remain offline for an extended period and
reasserted its position that it is assessing options for a restart
sometime this week.

Reuters 10:20, August 4, 2005.

Reuters 15:28, August 4, 2005

**Surge Test Reduces Output at Premcor's Port Arthur Refinery**

According to a report filed with Texas regulators, Premcor reduced
output at its 250,000 b/d Port Arthur refinery so that a surge test on a
compressor in the FCC unit could be performed. According to the filing,
the test is expected to be completed on August 6.

Reuters 10:41, August 4, 2005

**Restart of Both Cracking Units at BP's Texas City Refinery Delayed**

According to a report filed with Texas regulators, BP has delayed the
restart of both of the catalytic cracking units at its Texas City
refinery. The 62,000 b/d unit 1is expected to return to service before
the end of the week. However, it is unknown when the 32,000 b/d unit 2
will be back up.

Reuters 14:36, August 4, 2005

**Fighting in Nigeria Shuts Plant**

French company Total announced August 4 that it closed the Ogbogu oil
flow station and a 10-15,000 b/d production plant in Nigeria because of
communal fighting. The company closed the facilities for security
reasons and hopes to reopen them within a few days.

Reuters 14:13 August 4, 2005

**Valero to Stop Producing MTBE - Gasoline Production to Decline**

Valero Energy Corp announced that in nine months it will stop producing
the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and as a
result, expects to see a decline of 60,000 b/d of gasoline production.
The company decided to stop producing the additive after the energy bill
failed to include liability protection for MTBE producers, and dropped
the mandate for MTBE.

Reuters 18:07 August 3, 2005

**Natural Gas**

**Portion of Transco Pipe in Texas Exploded Wednesday**\
A pipeline explosion caused a four-hour fire in the Williams Company's
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line system, located in Montgomery County,
Texas, this past Wednesday. According to a company statement, the fire
occurred when gas that was being vented from the pipeline ignited.

Source: [NGI\'s Daily Gas Price Index
\<http://intelligencepress.com/subscribers/daily/\>]{.underline} (August
04, 2005)\
[\<http://intelligencepress.com/\>]{.underline}

Reuters 17:18 August 3, 2005

######## Other News

**Energy Bill to Signed by President Next Monday**

President Bush is expected to sign the energy bill into law next Monday
at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM.

[http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8kowu%5D%5BeejkiopSSget%3EEvbfek%5Cv](http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8kowu%5D%5BeejkiopSSget>Evbfek\v)

**NOAA Forecasts Five More Atlantic Hurricanes**\
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts the
possibility of up to 14 tropical storms and five major hurricanes
remaining for the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.\
Source: [*NGI\'s Daily Gas Price
Index*](http://intelligencepress.com/subscribers/daily/) (August 03,
2005)\
[*http://intelligencepress.com/*](http://intelligencepress.com/)

######## Energy Prices 

+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
|                               | **Latest  | **Week    | **Year     |
|                               | (08       | Ago**     | Ago**      |
|                               | /04/05)** |           |            |
+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
| **CRUDE OIL**                 | 61.60     | 59.91     | 42.73      |
|                               |           |           |            |
| **West Texas Intermediate     |           |           |            |
| US**                          |           |           |            |
|                               |           |           |            |
| \$/Barrel                     |           |           |            |
+-------------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+
| **NATURAL GAS**               | 8.55      | 7.69      | 5.70       |
|                               |           |           |            |
| **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/)