Law & Lawyers

FERC to States: No QF Rates Higher than Avoided Cost

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has ruled that states may not set rates higher than a utility's avoided cost for power purchases from qualifying facilities (QFs) (Docket Nos. EL93-55-000 and

EL87-53-003). The new rule comes as part of a case in which Connecticut Light and Power Co.

Telecommunications Reform Effort Renewed

The seven regional Bell operating companies have formed a coalition (em the Alliance for Competitive Communications (em to spearhead their efforts to reform the nation's telecommunications laws. The group's central goal is to eliminate barriers to competition among local telephone, long-distance, and cable television companies by:

s Encouraging competition in all markets

s Protecting universal service

s Opening markets to all competitors at once

s Ensuring that all competitors in each market are regulated similarly.

FERC Asked to Suspend CPUC Auctions

Southern California Edison (SCE) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to halt the state's Biennial Resource Plan Update energy auction (BRPU). SCE charges that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) violated the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) and FERC regulations by reinstating the auction late last year.

SCE believes that the auction, which requires California utilities to enter purchased-power contracts, could increase its potential stranded costs by up to $4 billion (in nominal dollars).

FEC Questions Derivative Use

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will allow Aquila Power Corp., a power marketing subsidiary of UtiliCorp United Inc., to sell electricity at market-based rates, and has approved open-access transmission tariffs for UtiliCorp (Docket Nos. ER95-203-000 and ER95-216-000). Commissioner William L.

FERC Eases PURPA/FPA Regulatory Burden

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved a final rule streamlining regulations in the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 and the Federal Power Act (parts I and II) that affect securities issued by public utilities, rate filings by public utilities, and procedural and technical rules governing qualifying facilities (QFs) (Docket No. RM92-12-000). The changes aim to reduce the regulatory burden on the QF industry.

Financial News

Annual Annual EPS

Close Close Percent 52-Wk 52-Wk Div Div Book P/E Last

Company Region 09/30/94 12/30/94 Change High Low Rate Yield Value Ratio 12 Mos. Electric Utilities AEP Company Inc. Midwest 31.38 32.88 4.78 37.38 27.25 2.40 7.30 22.68 11 2.94

Unicom Corp. Midwest 22.25 24.25 8.99 28.75 20.63 1.60 6.60 24.39 - -0.31

Union Electric Co.

Perspective

Our industry stands at the threshold of significant change. Competitive forces and significant technological advances beckon the nation's electric utilities to step forward. The electric industry has the opportunity to create a future that provides the benefits of competition to all customer groups. If we don't restructure, someone else will do it for us.

AT&T and Others to Provide Local Service in New York

The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved comprehensive rate and service tariffs enabling AT&T Communications of New York, Inc. (AT&T) and Frontier Communications of Rochester, Inc. (Frontier) to provide local telephone services in the Rochester, NY, service area. The PSC expects to approve a third set of tariffs for Time Warner AxS of Rochester, L.P. early this year. The new tariffs will allow telephone customers in the Rochester area to choose between the three new market entrants and the existing local carrier, Rochester Telephone Corp.

Wisconsin Approves Performance Incentive Mechanisms

While lowering current rates for electric gas and water services provided by Wisconsin Power & Light Co., the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) has also approved a series of gas and electric incentive mechanisms for the utility.

The ratemaking modifications include a natural gas procurement incentive that works through the company's adjustment clause and includes a link to spot commodity prices for gas supply as well as a sharing mechanism to allocate the risk of cost changes between ratepayers and shareholders.

California Prods Local Telephone Competition

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) plans to issue interim rules in June 1995 allowing competitors to seek authority to offer local telephone service in the state. (The CPUC also recently completed a plan to open the "local toll" market to competition.) The CPUC directed all interested parties to seek a settlement of the issues arising under its plan to move the local market to full competition by 1997.