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Show FERC approves sales; Federation moving on Utah Power & Light Company has received another approval of its purchase pur-chase agreement of electric properties in southwest Utah from CP National. The approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) came last week and was not entirely unexpected by the Southwest Utah Cooperative Power Federation, which would also like jo purchase the system and establish a municipal power network for th! area. "We're glad that it Was taken care of because we're arxious to begin negotiations with UP&L," said Federation President Barbara Starr, referring to hoped-for negotiations with UP&L to buy the system within city boundaries from UP&L, after it has purchased them from CPN. Such negotiations were made possible and nearly unavoidable by an earlier order of the Utah Public Service Commission telling UP&L to grant exclusive options with the communities in the area to purchase such properties and to negotiate the sales in good faith with the southern Utahns. Starr said that the Federation is now only waiting for a definite date from UP&L to begin such negotiations. The group hopes to be able to purchase pur-chase such municipal systems and would also like to buy the distribution systems in the outlying, unincorporated areas, as well as the transmission lines to the area. Federation officers have said they will continue to strive for such through negotiations and through condemnation if necessary. In its order, FERC said the proposed sale of CPN facilities is consistent with the public interest and is in compliance with the standards of the Federal Power ACt. The contract for sale and purchase has now obtained the approval of all regulatory authorities, both state and federal. These include the Utah PSC, the Arizona Corporation Commission, the Oregon PSC and FERC. The purchase price for the Utah and Fredonia, Ariz., properties is approximately ap-proximately $20 million, according to UP&L. |
