Subject: FERC INVESTIGATION IN CA - What should they be looking for?
From: [email-masked]
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 01:18:00 -0700 (PDT)

As we begin to meet with FERC Staff on the Wholesale market issues related to 
CA problems, I think that we need to put together a list of questions that 
FERC needs to be asking Western power market participants.  

The following are some questions that I think are important to have FERC ask; 
I'm sure there are more.

1. Were California utilities underscheduling load into the PX day ahead 
market?  
2. How many MWs did the CA ISO procure during each hour during the Summer 
2000?  How does this compare with CA ISO procurement during 1999?
3. Has PG&E changed its bidding behavior associated with its Hydro facilities 
in 2000?  
3. Are there baseload facilities that were operated differently in 2000 than 
in 1999?
4. Were any generation plants off-line due to unplanned maintenance during 
Summer 2000?
5. How did the CA ISO demand side program work?  Why didn't more load 
participate?  
6. What options did SDG&E have to "hedge" its retail rates?  What were prices 
in the CAL PX block forward market on Jan 15, 2000 and May 15, 2000?
7. How high did natural gas prices go in California for generation during 
Summer 2000?
8. Were other Western power markets prices higher (year-on-year)?
9. Did the CA ISO Board face political pressure to reduce bid caps?  Is this 
appropriate for a FERC jurisdictional entity?
10. What specific details is SDG&E referring to in its Complaint on 
"unworkably competitive" CA ISO markets?  Can these be fixed "quickly"?

Please add other questions.

Jim