Western Energy Wars Headed For Showdown (KFWB) 6.21.01 11:35a --

Spurred by a federal order, disputing parties in the energy crisis will gather in a single room next week for a meeting that could decide how to divide billions of dollars.

California's power generators say their bills have gone unpaid. State officials say California has been overcharged almost $9 billion.

At the same time that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission imposed limited price controls on Western electricity sales this week, it also ordered all sides to meet in a settlement conference to work out a resolution of financial disputes.

The conference was originally limited to California, but Oregon and Washington have also been allowed to participate. Wholesale prices in the Pacific Northwest states have been as high as in California.

The meeting could last as long as 15 days. If an agreement is not reached, FERC's chief administrative law judge will write one and recommend it to the commission.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), June 22, 2001