At the request of California Gov. Pete Wilson (R) and key state legislators, Southern California Edison (SCE) has forged a consensus with a broad coalition, including electric customers and independent power producers (IPPs), on restructuring principles for California's electric utility industry. According to Thomas Higgins, SCE spokesman, the negotiated settlement represents a breakthrough compromise for the "PoolCo" and "anti-PoolCo" camps that will help prevent a fight in the legislature.

CMS Energy Corp. has come clean as the "unnamed" potential investor in the plan announced in June by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to acquire the Long Island Lighting Co. (LILCO).

CMS had not revealed its involvement in the proposed takeover before because its participation through a management services agreement is conditioned on the support of N.Y. Gov. Pataki. The company said it still is interested in providing the management services if the governor and other state officials decide a takeover is in the best interests of the citizens of Long Island.

Puget Sound Power & Light (PSPL) has protested Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA's) plan to negotiate industrial power contracts with its own direct services industries, giving them rate cuts without first taking part in full public hearings. Gary Swofford, PSPL senior vice president for customer operations, said in August that BPA planned to have signed contracts in place by September, when consumer hearings are scheduled.

Cajun Electric Cooperative has lost its request with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for an emergency stay of the appointment of a trustee in bankruptcy. Cajun had claimed a conflict of interest because the proposed trustee, Ralph Maybe, belongs to the Salt Lake City law office of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & McRae, which worked for Entergy and Gulf States Utilities Co. (GSU) on matters concerning the River Bend nuclear plant. Entergy and GSU have been involved in a $2-billion lawsuit with Cajun over the plant since 1989.

U.S.