Administrative Law Judge Finds Support for OG&E's Position in AEP/CSW Merger.OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 1999-- An administrative law judge administrative law judge n. a professional hearing officer who works for the government to preside over hearings and appeals involving governmental agencies. They are generally experienced in the particular subject matter of the agency involved or of several agencies. issued an order today in the pending merger between American Electric Power American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. It is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It serves parts of 11 states, and is currently the largest electricity generating utility in the United States. Inc. and Central & Southwest Corp. (AEP/CSW). In the order, Judge Robert Goldfield said, "the evidence tends to show that market power will indeed be impacted in Oklahoma and competition harmed because of the impact of the merger." The judge's ruling requires OG&E Electric Services and AEP/CSW to approach the Southwest Power Pool The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is the oldest North American reliability organization still in operation, having originally formed in 1941 when eleven power companies cooperated to ensure that an aluminum factory would receive reliable power as it worked to assist the US war effort -- the regional electric reliability authority -- and conduct joint planning to determine the effects the merger would have on the regional electricity transmission system. The planning is to begin immediately and a solution is to be forwarded to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is a state agency, run by three commissioners, with 600 employees. It regulates oil and gas drilling, utilities and telephone companies. The current Commissioners are Bob Anthony, Jeff Cloud, and Jim Roth. by June 14, 1999. The Southwest Power Pool is to make a "final decision on the transmission needs and solution and costs and CSW CSW Commission on the Status of Women CSW Christian Solidarity Worldwide CSW Clinical Social Worker CSW College of the Southwest (New Mexico) CSW Cambridge SoundWorks (audio manufacturer) should bear the costs in proportion to the independent findings of the SPP," the ruling said. "This affirms our belief that this merger - in its proposed form - would have a negative effect on Oklahoma and, more specifically, on OG&E and its customers," said Steven E. Moore, OGE Energy Corp. chairman, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "We applaud Judge Goldfield's call for joint planning between OG&E and AEP/CSW. This is something we've been working toward for some time." The matter will now be forwarded to Oklahoma Corporation Commission. A final decision is expected in the next several weeks. OG&E Electric Services, a regulated electric utility serving 700,000 customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas, is a subsidiary of OGE Energy Corp., based in Oklahoma City. OGE Energy also is parent of Enogex Inc., a non-regulated natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering, processing and transportation company with principal operations and pipelines in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. |
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