35 Certificate - 70-9959 1q04

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


In the Matter of

NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY
HORIZON ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, INC.
HORIZON ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.
and its subsidiaries

File No. 70-9959
(Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935)


EIGHTH
CERTIFICATE
PURSUANT TO
RULE 24

        THIS IS TO CERTIFY, pursuant to Rule 24, that certain transactions proposed by National Fuel Gas Company (“National”), its subsidiary, Horizon Energy Development, Inc. (“Horizon”), Horizon’s subsidiary, Horizon Energy Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), and Holding’s subsidiaries (“Intermediate Subsidiaries”), in their Application-Declaration on Form U-1, as amended (File No. 70-9959), have been carried out in accordance with the terms and conditions of said Application-Declaration and the Order (HCAR No. 35-27487, dated December 31, 2001) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) with respect thereto, and that the following information for the quarter ended December 31, 2003 is herein provided:

1)  

A general description of the Development Activities of Horizon or any Intermediate Subsidiary during the quarter and of any exempt wholesale generator or foreign utility company in which National has acquired, directly or indirectly, an ownership interest during the quarter:


  Horizon  and Intermediate Subsidiaries engaged, directly or indirectly, in one or more of the following Development Activities during the quarter: due diligence and design review; market studies; preliminary engineering; site inspection; preparation of bid proposals, including posting of bid bonds; application for required permits and/or regulatory approvals; acquisition of site options and options on other necessary rights; negotiation and execution of contractual commitments with owners of existing facilities, equipment vendors, construction firms, power purchasers, thermal “hosts,” fuel suppliers and other project contractors; discussion of financing opportunities with lenders and other third-party investors; and such other preliminary activities as may be required.

  In  connection with its Development Activities, Horizon, through Intermediate Subsidiaries, has acquired ownership interests in Sofia Energy EAD and Montenero Energia s.r.l. Each of these entities is pursuing a power generation project — Sofia Energy EAD in and around the city of Sofia, Bulgaria, and Montenero Energia s.r.l in the Molise region of Italy near the town of Montenero di Bisaccia.

2)  

  Information on Project Services (administrative, operating, technical and management services) performed during the quarter:


Company
Providing Service
Company Receiving
Service
Type of Service Total Charges* At Cost or Fair
Market Value
Horizon Horizon Energy
Development, s.r.o.
Technical and
management services
$30,873 1   Fair market value
Horizon Energy
Development, s.r.o.
Horizon Administrative
services
$34,847.09 2   Fair market value
Horizon Energy
Development, s.r.o.
United Energy, a.s. Administrative and
operating services
$219,363      Fair market value
United Energy, a.s. Teplarna Liberec, a.s. Administrative and
management services
$113,476      Fair market value

*    Amounts are shown in US$. Original billings may be calculated in Czech Korunas. For the quarter ended December 31, 2003, the average spot exchange rate was CZK27.01/US$1.
1   Represents amounts accrued during quarter. Under terms of agreements, billings are submitted on an annual basis at the end of the year.
2    Actual billing for the quarter. Bill received and paid in following quarter.


3)     Information regarding new Intermediate Subsidiaries:

        No new Intermediate Subsidiaries were established or acquired during the quarter.

4)      Amount of any Guarantee issued by Horizon or any Intermediate Subsidiary that is not exempt under Rule 45(b) or Rule 52:

        Neither Horizon nor any Intermediate Subsidiary issued any such Guarantee during the quarter.

5)     Horizon financial statements:

  Horizon’s balance sheet at December 31, 2003 is attached as Exhibit 1, and
Horizon’s income statement for the quarter ended December 31, 2003 is attached as Exhibit 2.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned companies have caused this Certificate to be executed as of this 19th day of February, 2004.

  NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY

By: /s/ R. J. Tanski
        R. J. Tanski
        Controller


HORIZON ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, INC.

By: /s/ R. J. Tanski
        R. J. Tanski
        Secretary and Treasurer


HORIZON ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC.

By: /s/ R. J. Tanski
        R. J. Tanski
        Secretary and Treasurer