The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has set for hearing the proposed merger of Public Service Co. of Colorado (PSCC) with Southwestern Public Service Co. (SPS), directing that an initial decision be issued by January 31, 1997 (Docket No. EC96-2-000). The companies propose to interconnect by 2001 by constructing a 300-mile,
345-kilovolt transmission line, and to create a new registered holding company, temporarily called
"M-P New Co."
The FERC observed that the June 26 order does not reflect the outcome of its ongoing inquiry into its 30-year-old Commonwealth criteria for evaluating utility mergers. When the FERC does act in that inquiry, the parties and the presiding administrative law judge will be bound to take the new rules into account.