FINNEGAN, CONRAD & PETERSON L.C.

UtiliCorp Seeks MoPSC Approval
to Transfer Asset Control to Midwest ISO

UtiliCorp, filing for its St. Joseph and Missouri Public Service divisions, is seeking MoPSC approval to transfer control of its transmission assets to the Midwest Independent System Operator organization or "MISO."  The MISO is one of the regional transmission organizations that FERC has decreed as a means of imposing discipline and policing its open access policies announced in Order 888.

As with a merger, Missouri Statutes require that a utility must obtain PSC approval to transfer assets -- in this case operational control over its assets -- to another.  A showing of no public detriment must be supported.  There are also issues of consistency -- UtiliCorp has taken the position in its pending MoPub rate case, that these two divisions are not sufficiently operationally integrated as to require a joint rate case filing.  However, in this case, UtiliCorp has joined the two divisions and claims that they are being operated as an integrated system operational control of which can be transferred.  The case no. is EO-2002-125.  A prehearing conference was held at the Commission on December 11, 2001.

For additional detail contact Stu Conrad.  [12/11/01].