WPL charged with illegal activities.MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 3, 1996--Madison Gas and Electric Co. (MGE Mge Mycoplasma Genitalium MGE Minneapolis Grain Exchange MGE Madison Gas and Electric Company MGE Mobile Genetic Elements MGE Maintenance Ground Equipment MGE Microstation Graphics Environment MGE Modern Gun Effectiveness Model MGE Modular Gis Environment ) filed a suit today in Dane County Circuit Court charging Wisconsin Power and Light Co. (WPL WPL Woodside Petroleum Limited (Perth, WAS, Australia; stock symbol) WPL Winnipeg Public Library (Canada) WPL Western Plaguelands (gaming, World of Warcraft) ) with violations of Wisconsin laws and rules in attempting to provide electric service to the new Ho Chunk bingo parlor in the outskirts of Madison. MGE also filed a complaint against WPL at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW PSCW Public Service Commission of Wisconsin PSCW Politieke Sociale en Culturele Wetenschappen (Political, Social, and Cultural Sciences) ) for illegally duplicating electric facilities in the same area. MGE seeks treble damages A recovery of three times the amount of actual financial losses suffered which is provided by statute for certain kinds of cases. The statute authorizing treble damages directs the judge to multiply by three the amount of monetary damages awarded by the jury in those cases for intentional illegal activities and misrepresentation misrepresentation In law, any false or misleading expression of fact, usually with the intent to deceive or defraud. It most commonly occurs in insurance and real-estate contracts. False advertising may also constitute misrepresentation. and also seeks orders prohibiting WPL from serving the bingo parlor and other customers on the southeast side of Madison. MGE had already installed substantial electric facilities near the bingo parlor and has provided electric service to other customers in this area since 1963. The Ho Chunk Nation also requested and received electric service from MGE when construction started in June 1995. "Our customers have already shared in the cost of building facilities to serve this area," said Mark C. Williamson, MGE senior vice president -- energy services. "WPL ran an extension more than a mile to serve this site. That illegally duplicates facilities we already have in place. "WPL has intentionally and illegally interfered with our legal right to provide electric service to this customer," Williamson said. "WPL has a long history of trying to run an 'extension cord' into our service territory to steal our customers. They don't seem to understand that WPL must follow the law - and the law prohibits duplicating electric wires. "Even WPL's radical deregulation Deregulation The reduction or elimination of government power in a particular industry, usually enacted to create more competition within the industry. Notes: Traditional areas that have been deregulated are the telephone and airline industries. plans recognized the environmental harm in running duplicate wires all over the place," Williamson said. "As usual, they have no respect for the law." Under Wisconsin law, MGE is authorized and obligated ob·li·gate tr.v. ob·li·gat·ed, ob·li·gat·ing, ob·li·gates 1. To bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie. See Synonyms at force. 2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige. to serve customers in the city of Madison. "There was no 'bidding' for this customer," Williamson said. "WPL's selfish desire to eliminate regulation of electric utilities doesn't change the law. The law requires us to provide distribution service in our territory to all customers at regulated prices." MGE also seeks damages from WPL in a lawsuit filed in Dane County Circuit Court. The lawsuit claims that WPL intentionally misrepresented MGE's cost for electric service to the Ho Chunk Nation, falsely advertised its services to induce the Ho Chunk Nation to enter into a contract with WPL, and improperly interfered with MGE's legal rights to serve that facility. "WPL is clearly disregarding current laws with the actions it has taken to serve the Ho Chunk site," Williamson said. "As the electric industry changes, utilities must still abide by the laws designed to protect each customer's right to reliable service at a reasonable rate. If WPL is going to violate the law with impunity IMPUNITY. Not being punished for a crime or misdemeanor committed. The impunity of crimes is one of the most prolific sources whence they arise. lmpunitas continuum affectum tribuit delinquenti. 4 Co. 45, a; 5 Co. 109, a. while regulated, imagine what they will do to Wisconsin if they are no longer regulated." The PSCW decided in December to take a careful approach to restructuring the electric industry in Wisconsin. The commission stated it is committed to protecting existing territory boundaries for local utility service. MGE is a public utility traded on the NASDAQ stock market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. under the symbol MDSN. MGE generates, transmits and distributes electricity to more than 120,000 customers throughout 250 square miles in Dane County. The company also transports and distributes natural gas to more than 102,000 customers throughout 1,325 square miles in Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Iowa, Juneau, Monroe and Vernon counties. MGE subsidiaries also market nonregulated natural gas supplies and other fuels to large commercial and industrial customers and governmental institutions on a national basis. CONTACT: Madison Gas and Electric Co., Madison Mark Williamson Professor Mark H. Williamson OBE is professor emeritus of biology at the University of York. He is an expert on biological invasions. Williamson gained a BA from the Oxford in 1950 and received a D.Phil. eight years later, having been a demonstrator of at Oxford since 1952. , 608/252-5608 |
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