MINUTES
ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Wednesday, December 5, 2001
9:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension E1.030
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted November 27, 2001, and in accordance
with Senate Rule 11.18, a joint public hearing of the Electric
Utility Restructuring Legislative Oversight Committee and the
Public Utility Commission of Texas was held on Wednesday,
December 5, 2001, in the Capitol Extension E1.030.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator David Sibley, Co-Chairman Senator Frank Madla
Representative Steven Wolens, Co-Chairman Representative
David Counts
Senator Teel Bivins
Senator Jane Nelson
Senator John Whitmire
Representative Kim Brimer
Representative Debra Danburg
Representative Sylvester Turner
PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS:
Max Yzaguirre, Chairman
Becky Klein, Commissioner
Brett Perlman, Commissioner
*****
Co-Chairman Sibley called the meeting to order at 9:17 a.m.
There being a quorum present, the following business was
transacted. Senator Troy Fraser was also present and
participated in the meeting.
Chairman Yzaguirre then called the Public Utility Commission of
Texas to order, and made opening remarks. Co-Chairman Wolens
welcomed the Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman and
Commissioners to the joint meeting.
PUC Chairman Yzaguirre advised that the PUC had prepared some
handouts for distribution to the committee members; in
particular, a Retail Market Opening Punch List of five items for
discussion. Co-Chairman Wolens then called the panel of invited
witnesses from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
as follows:
Thomas Noel, Chief Executive Officer, ERCOT,
Sam Jones, Chief Operating Officer, ERCOT,
William Bojorquez, Director, Settlements & Customer
Service, ERCOT,
Cherie Broadrick, Customer Registration Manager, ERCOT, and
Shirley A. Whyte, Independent Third Party Testing
Administrator (ITPTA).
Following a portion of the testimony by the ERCOT panelists,
Co-Chairman Sibley called members of Panel 2 to respond to
members' and PUC commissioners' questions relating to certain
ERCOT functions as they affect customers and retail electric
providers (REPs). These panelists were:
Kathleen Magruder, The New Power Company,
Tom Baker, TXU,
Steve Schaeffer, Reliant Energy,
Paul Thomas, Green Mountain Energy Company, and
Janee Briesemeister, Consumers Union.
At 12:00 Noon, Co-Chairman Sibley moved that the Committee stand
recessed for thirty minutes; without objection, it was so
ordered. At 12:35 p.m., the Committee reconvened, and testimony
by the members of Panel 2 resumed. Patricia Dolese, Public
Utility Commission of Texas, was called to respond to questions.
Upon completion of testimony by Panel 2, and response to members'
and PUC commissioners' questions, Co-Chairman Sibley recalled
the ERCOT panelists to continue with their testimony and to
address the remaining items on the PUC punch list.
Following the ERCOT panelists' testimony, Co-Chairman Wolens
called the following witnesses from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the
auditing and consulting firm engaged to perform audits of ERCOT
and the ERCOT systems. These witnesses responded to questions
by Committee members and PUC commissioners regarding the
"Summary of Certain PricewaterhouseCoopers 2001 Audit Services
to ERCOT."
Sean Barry, Accountant, and
Michael Hurle, Consultant.
There being no further business, at 2:30 p.m. Co-Chairman Sibley
moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of
the chairmen. Without objection, it was so ordered.
__________________________________
______________________________________
Senator David Sibley, Co-Chairman Representative
Steven Wolens,
Co-Chairman
__________________________________
Barbara Henderson, Clerk