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