Fortnightly Magazine - February 1 1995

Cajun Files for Chapter 11

Succumbing to the pressure of its debts, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has halted construction on three nuclear power plants, the only remaining incomplete plants in the nation. According to chairman Craven Crowell, TVA can no longer foot the bill alone. So far, TVA has invested about $4.6 billion in two unfinished units at the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant in Alabama, and $1.7 billion in Watts Bar 2 in Tennessee. TVA estimates it will cost as much as $8.8 billion to finish all three units. (The Bellefonte units are 88 percent and 57 percent complete, respectively.

DSM Bidding Dispute Left to Utility

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) has refused to mediate a dispute between Washington Water Power Co. and a bidder in the utility's 1991-92 resource procurement auction. The bidder, SESCO Inc., complained after the utility found its demand-side management (DSM) program proposal not cost-effective. The UTC said the decision to close the bidding and not pursue a contract with SESCO was a matter for review in the utility's next general rate case.

California Revises "Blue Book" Schedule

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has issued an interim decision on restructuring the California electric industry (R.94-04-031). The decision calls for the CPUC to propose a policy decision for comment on March 22, 1995, and to adopt a policy decision 60 days later. That policy decision would then become effective in September 1995. To that end, the interim decision establishes a working group to examine how existing social, economic, and environmental programs would hold up under the range of proposed restructuring models.

Arkansas Encourages Wholesale Electric Competition

Citing its desire to promote a fully competitive wholesale market for electric power, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) has waived restrictions on serving wholesale and retail loads in the state for Entergy Power Inc. Entergy had proposed to sell Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. power wheeled from two generating facilities by Arkansas Power & Light Co. (AP&L), an Entergy affiliate.

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