Regulatory Commission of Alaska.  Today the Commission’s hearing room should be full as all those interested in the failing, Cook Inlet natural gas supply scenario will convene to discuss whether the Commission should open a Regulations Docket addressing pricing provisions in natural gas supply contracts.  We will comment frequently and at length on this process in coming days, since decisions made here will have big impact on many Alaskan energy issues(See our 7-13-09 comment).   One is drawn to the wisdom of having the RCA simply fall back on its 2001, Union Oil-Enstar gas supply precedent.  And, it should repudiate its 2006-7 rejections of the agreement between Marathon and Enstar (APL-5) that have brought so much chaos to the Alaska energy market.  That way, it could rather quickly approve pending Chugach Electric Association gas supply arrangements and signal the market that in the future the RCA–under its outstanding, new leadership–will no longer try to micromanage the private market, most of which is outside the jurisdiction of the Commission.  The RCA has jurisdiction over utilities and pipelines that seek to provide certificated service, but has no ratemaking or cost investigation jurisdiction {Thank the Lord} over oil and gas producers.   In short, the RCA should not promulgate new regulations which attempt to govern gas supply contracts, but should stick to the earlier, Unocal precedent and go forward to timely adjudicate future gas supply contracts on a case by case basis.   -dh   (Photo: RCA Chairman Robert Pickett)     *     Calgary Herald by Dan Healing.  Calgary intermediate Progress Energy Resources Corp. is shutting in production due to low natural gas prices but continuing to drill in hopes of a big payday when rates make a comeback sometime in late 2009 or early 2010.     *