MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING
Friday, September 26, 1997
9:30 am
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, the organizational meeting of the Senate Interim
Committee on Electric Utility Restructuring was held on
Friday, September 26, 1997 in the Senate Chamber at Austin,
Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBER ABSENT:
Senator David Sibley Senator Troy Fraser
Senator Kenneth Armbrister
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos
Senator Teel Bivins
Senator David Cain
Senator Jane Nelson
*****
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:40 am. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
Chairman Sibley discussed the interim charge for the
Committee, and laid out the proposed schedule of hearings.
Senator Bivins will host the next meeting in Amarillo; a date
for the meeting will be set as soon as possible.
The Chair advised that the hearing would begin with a
background of the electric industry and a regulatory update
to be presented by Pat Wood, Chairman, and Judy Walsh,
Commissioner, Public Utility Commission.
Following Chairman Wood and Commissioner Walsh's testimony and
response to members' questions, Chairman Sibley advised that
invited testimony on electric utility restructuring issues
would commence. The following invited witnesses testified and
responded to members' questions:
Julie Moore, and Ron Lanclos, representing Texas
Coalition for Competitive Electricity, and
Milton Ramsey, representing Chevron
Bob Reilley, representing Enron Corporation
Curtis Seidlits, representing Association of Electric
Companies of Texas, Robert M. Fillmore, Texas Utilities
Electric Company, and Steve Schaeffer, Houston Industries,
Inc.
Suzi Ray McClellan, representing Office of Public Utility
Counsel
Mike Williams, representing Texas Electric Cooperatives
Mark Zion, representing Texas Public Power Association
Monte Akers, representing Texas Municipal League
Michael R. Moore, representing Texas Retailers
Association
Dr. Ramon Alvarez, representing the Environmental Defense
Fund
Janee Briesemeister, representing the Consumers Union
Upon completion of the invited witnesses' testimony and
response to members' questions, Chairman Sibley advised that
public testimony would be heard. The following witnesses
testified and responded to members' questions:
James Fitzpatrick, representing American Association of
Retired Persons
Lora Williams, representing Consumers Alliance of the
Southeast
Peggy Venable, representing Texas Citizens for a Sound
Economy
Carol Biedrzycki, representing Texas Rose, Texas Legal
Services Center
Tom Smith, representing Public Citizen
Randy Eminger, representing the Center for Energy and
Economic Development
Susan Pitman, representing the American Lung Association
Jim Jeffrey, representing himself and the Goose Creek
School District
John A. Monus, Jr., representing himself
Those shown below registered for electric utility
restructuring but did not wish to testify:
Robert Wright, consultant for Union Carbide
Carol Jones, representing herself
There being no further business, at 3:10 pm Chairman Sibley
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.
__________________________
Senator David Sibley, Chairman
__________________________
Barbara Henderson, Clerk