Rocco Canonica News Today

The rush is on to build new pipeline capacity to serve rapidgas-fired power generation growth in the Southeast and Mid-Atlanticregions. Dominion Transmission last week announced a proposed $400million pipeline to serve primarily new power plants in Virginiaand North Carolina.

Despite current plans to reactivate LNG imports and expand the Cove Point LNG plant, Columbia Energy Group has decided the Lusby, MD-based facility does not fit into its core group of assets. The company announced plans last week to sell Cove Point and a related pipeline to Williams Gas Pipeline for $150 million. The sale is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act but should be completed by July 2000, the companies said.

The $1.9 billion sale in March of Panhandle Eastern Pipe Lineand Trunkline Gas to Michigan-based CMS Energy resulted in aone-time gain of $1.82 per share for the first quarter and anafter-tax gain of $660 million, putting Duke earnings for thequarter over results in the same quarter last year. Duke reportedearnings of $2.65 per share, compared with 87 cents in 1Q98.Without the sale, and the absence of an extraordinary item fromlast year's quarter, basic first-quarter earnings were 83 cents ...