California regulators have opened an inquiry into high natural gas prices, which have sent utility bills soaring during a cold and stormy winter. The California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to launch the investigation, which will try to determine whether factors outside of normal market dynamics played a role in the price spike. At its peak, gas prices in Southern California were more than 7 times higher than a year before. They have since fallen but remain two-thirds higher than this time last year —and nearly three times higher than the US average. The commission also will study whether high prices ... (full story)