MINUTES SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING Friday, December 12, 1997 10:00 am Amarillo, Texas ***** Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on Electric Utility Restructuring was held on Friday, December 12, 1997 in Amarillo, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBER ABSENT: Senator David Sibley Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Teel Bivins Senator David Cain Senator Troy Fraser Senator Jane Nelson ***** Chairman Sibley called the meeting to order at 10:05 am. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted. The Chairman expressed his appreciation to Mayor Seliger and to Senator Bivins for hosting the hearing in Amarillo, and Senator Bivins welcomed the Committee to his district. Chairman Sibley explained the issues the Committee would focus on at this hearing and called the first invited panel to address market power and structure of retail market. The panelists were: Steve Schaeffer, Houston Industries Bob Reilley, Enron Corporation Bob Bryant, Golden Spread Electric Cooperative Suzi Ray McClellan, Texas Public Utility Counsel Judy Walsh, Texas Public Utility Commission Stephanie Kroger, Texas Coalition for Competitive Electricity The panelists presented their testimony and responded to questions from the Committee members. At 12:40 p.m. Chairman Sibley recessed the hearing for a thirty minute break. The Committee reconvened at 1:15 pm, and the Chairman called the second invited panel to address the issues of transmission and distribution system; and metering, billing and collection. The panelists were: Tom Baker, Texas Utilities Jim Collins, LG&E Energy Marketing Chris King, CellNet Data Systems Brady Belk, LCRA Pat Wood, Texas Public Utility Commission Arthur von Rosenberg, Texas Public Power Association. Following testimony, the panelists responded to members' questions. Upon completion of the invited testimony, Chairman Sibley advised that public testimony would begin and called the first witness. The following witnesses testified and responded to the Committee members' questions: Ty Cooke, Mayor Pro-Tem, Lubbock, Texas T. J. Miller, Mayor, Plains, Texas John Stauffacher, representing NGC Corp., Houston, Texas Lois Wales, representing herself, Dimmit, Texas Clayton White, representing International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Amarillo, Texas Robert Goodrich, representing himself, Amarillo, Texas Matt Griffith, representing Texas Panhandle Builders Association, Amarillo, Texas Benny Nixon, representing S.P.E.C. and Texas Electric Cooperative, Lubbock, Texas Vick Christian, farmer and rancher, Farwell, Texas Robert Caudle, representing Lea County Electric Co-op, Midland, Texas Brenda Patterson, representing herself, Lubbock, Texas Jesse D. Martin, representing himself, Amarillo, Texas Clayton Spears, representing himself, Amarillo, Texas The following persons registered but did not testify: Tom Smith, representing Public Citizen, Austin, Texas Joann Harwell, representing herself, Vega, Texas Robert Little, representing himself, Dallas, Texas Johnny Richmond, representing the elderly and low income, Amarillo, Texas Vaughn Nelson, representing Texas Energy Coordination Council, Canyon, Texas Robert King, representing National Association of Energy Service Companies, Austin, Texas Upon completion of testimony and members' questions, at 3:50 pm Chairman Sibley moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the Chairman. Without objection, it was so ordered. SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING Minutes Friday, December 12, 1997 page 3 __________________________ Senator David Sibley, Chairman __________________________ Barbara Henderson, Clerk