CENTRAL & SOUTH WEST CORP
POS AMC, 1997-05-23
ELECTRIC SERVICES
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                                                          FILE NO. 70-8037

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 4
                               (POST-EFFECTIVE) TO
                                    FORM U-1

                                   APPLICATION

                                    UNDER THE

                   PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANY ACT OF 1935

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                       CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CORPORATION
                          1616 Woodall Rodgers Freeway
                               Dallas, Texas 75202

                         CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
                                  P.O. Box 2121
                           Corpus Christi, Texas 78403

                  (Names of companies filing this statement and
                    addresses of principal executive offices)

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                       CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CORPORATION

                 (Name of top registered holding company parent)

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                           Wendy G. Hargus , Treasurer
                       Central and South West Corporation
                          1616 Woodall Rodgers Freeway
                               Dallas, Texas 75202

                           Wendy G. Hargus, Treasurer
                         Central Power and Light Company
                                  P.O. Box 2121
                           Corpus Christi, Texas 78403

                              Ronald T. Astin, Esq.
                             Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
                              2300 First City Tower
                               1001 Fannin Street
                            Houston, Texas 77002-6760
                   (Name and addresses of agents for service)


<PAGE>



Item 1.  Description  of Proposed  Transaction  Item No. 1 is hereby amended and
restated as follows:
         Central and South West Corporation,  a Delaware corporation ("CSW"), is
a registered  holding  company under the Public Utility  Holding  Company Act of
1935 (the "Act").  Central Power and Light Company, a Texas corporation ("CPL"),
is a wholly-owned electric utility subsidiary of CSW.
         On May 29, 1992,  CSW and CPL entered  into a  settlement  with Houston
Industries  Incorporated,  a Texas  corporation  ("HII"),  and  its  subsidiary,
Houston  Lighting & Power Company,  a Texas  corporation  ("HLP"),  to normalize
business  relations between the two systems and to settle several disputes which
had existed  between the two systems for some time.  One such  dispute  involved
allegations  by  CPL  that  HLP  breached  its  duties  and  obligations  in its
performance  as the  Project  Manager  of the  South  Texas  Project  Electrical
Generating Station ("STP").  Other disputes did not raise jurisdictional  issues
under the Act.
         On  July  17,  1992,  CSW  and CPL (as  well  as CSW  Credit,  Inc.,  a
wholly-owned  subsidiary of CSW), filed an  Application-Declaration  on Form U-1
under the Act (File No. 70- 8037)  relating to the  settlement of the litigation
described above and with regard to certain  financing  activities of CSW Credit,
Inc.  The  Application-Declaration  was amended on October 9, 1992,  December 3,
1992, and December 23, 1992, and was the subject of orders of the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  dated  December 8, 1992  (Release No.
35-25696)(the  "Original  Order") and December 29, 1992 (Release No.  35-25720),
each of which declared  effective CSW's and CPL's  Application-Declaration  with
respect to certain of the matters  covered  thereby.  However,  in the  Original
Order, the Commission reserved



<PAGE>



jurisdiction with respect to one aspect of the settlement of the litigation, the
formation of a new Texas non-profit  corporation to act as the operating company
for STP, pending completion of the record with respect thereto. The Commission's
reservation of  jurisdiction  was based, in part, upon the fact that at the date
of the Original  Order the owners of STP had not yet agreed on the  structure of
the  proposed   operating   company  for  STP.  Prior  to  the  filing  of  this
post-effective amendment, the owners of STP have approved in substantially final
form the structure of such  operating  company,  and CSW and CPL are filing this
amended   application  (as  amended  by  this  post-effective   amendment,   the
"Application")  in order to complete the record and request  authority  from the
Commission  to enter into the final form of documents  to create such  operating
company.
                                   Background
         STP is  jointly  owned by HLP,  CPL,  the City of San  Antonio,  Texas,
acting  by and  through  the City  Public  Service  Board of San  Antonio  ("San
Antonio"),  and the City of Austin, Texas ("Austin" and,  collectively with HLP,
CPL and San Antonio,  the "Owners").  STP consists of three  principal  types of
assets and properties:  (1) two 1250 megawatt  nuclear-fueled  generating units;
(2) a  plant  site  and  common  station  facilities;  and  (3) a  400-foot-wide
transmission corridor. The two generating units and all of the common facilities
incident  thereto,  including  the  plant  site,  are  owned  by the  Owners  as
tenants-in-common.  Each of the Owners is a party to an agreement (as heretofore
amended, the "Participation Agreement"), which provides for the joining together
of the Owners as  tenants-in-common  in owning and operating  facilities for the
production  of  electric  energy and for the  delivery  of the  electric  energy
produced to each Owner  according to its respective  ownership  interest in STP.
The Participation Agreement has



<PAGE>



been previously  filed with the  Commission.  The electric energy so obtained by
each Owner from the  jointly-owned  facilities is  distributed  and sold by that
Owner  within its own system.  Under the  Participation  Agreement,  the current
ownership of STP is as follows:

           HLP                             30.8%

           CPL                             25.2%

           San Antonio                     28.0%

           Austin                          16.0%

           Total                          100.0%

         Presently,  a management  committee  comprised of one representative of
each Owner  makes all  material  decisions  and  determinations  incident to the
operation of STP. In the absence of unanimity,  this  committee  generally  acts
through  the vote of two or more  Owners  holding  at least  60  percent  of the
ownership  interest in STP.  Currently,  HLP acts as the sole project manager of
STP,  except  for  maintenance  of  the  transmission  corridor,  which  is  the
responsibility  of CPL. As project  manager,  HLP initiates the  preparation  of
engineering  and  administrative  plans and studies and furnishes the management
committee with all necessary  information upon which  determinations are made by
the management  committee and carries out and  coordinates the directions of the
management  committee incident to the operation of the system and the generation
of power. In addition, as project manager HLP management maintains and furnishes
the Owners with all required  records of costs and expenses to permit the Owners
properly  to  reflect  and report  their  interests  in STP in their  respective
financial  and  income  statements.   Under  the  Participation  Agreement,  the
management  committee has the power to remove HLP as project manager by the vote
of a majority of the ownership interest.



<PAGE>



                            The Proposed Transaction
         In order to give each Owner an equal voice in the operation of STP, the
Owners  have  agreed to relieve  HLP of its rights  and  obligations  as project
manager  and to  have a new  entity,  STP  Nuclear  Operating  Company,  a Texas
non-profit  corporation  without  membership  interests  ("OPCO"),  assume HLP's
obligations  to manage STP. The Owners  determined to use a state law non-profit
corporation to operate STP by contract to better assure a proportionate  sharing
of costs, liabilities and benefits associated with the operation of STP.
         OPCO,  as operator of STP,  will not be an owner of STP and will not be
entitled to take,  or have any  ownership  interest in, any energy  generated by
STP.  OPCO will be formed by the  Owners.  It is  proposed  that the Owners will
effect the substitution of OPCO for HLP in the operation of STP by entering into
an Amended and Restated  Participation  Agreement  (the  "Amended  Participation
Agreement")  in  substantially  the form attached as Exhibit 12. The Owners also
propose to enter into the South Texas Project Operating Agreement with OPCO (the
"Operating  Agreement")(attached  hereto as Exhibit 13),  pursuant to which OPCO
will maintain and operate STP, subject to the control and direction of an Owners
Committee  consisting of representatives of the Owners appointed under the terms
of the Amended Participation Agreement.
         OPCO  will  be  organized  as  a  non-stock,   non-member,   non-profit
corporation  under the Texas  Non-Profit  Corporation  Act.  This  structure was
selected by the Owners because of legal issues posed by other  alternatives  for
Owners other than CPL. Specifically,  the Texas Constitution prohibits municipal
entities from owning stock in a private corporation or from



<PAGE>



lending their credit to private  entities.1 However,  this prohibition
does  not,  in  the  opinion  of  counsel  to  San  Antonio  and  Austin,  limit
participation  in  a  non-profit  corporation,   at  least  with  respect  to  a
corporation  that has no members and no outstanding  ownership  interests.2
Similarly,  HII's exempt  status  under the Act requires all of its  "subsidiary
companies"  within  the  meaning  of the Act to be  organized  under the laws of
Texas. Although CSW and CPL have been advised that HII does not regard OPCO as a
"subsidiary  company"  within the  meaning  of the Act,  the issue is avoided by
utilizing a Texas entity.  The Articles of  Incorporation  (the  "Articles") and
Bylaws (the  "Bylaws") of OPCO will be in  substantially  the forms  attached as
Exhibits 14 and 15,  respectively.  Pursuant  to the  Articles  and Bylaws,  the
Operating  Agreement and the Amended  Participation  Agreement,  the Owners will
manage the  affairs  of OPCO.  Under the  Articles  and the  Bylaws,  each Owner
appoints one  director to the Board of Directors of OPCO (an "Owner  Director").
In addition,  the chief  executive  officer (chosen by and subject to removal by
the  affirmative  vote of three Owner  Directors)  of OPCO serves as a director.
Owner  Director  vacancies  may be filled only by the Owner who  designated  the
person  whose  absence  created  the  vacancy.  If the vacancy is created by the
absence of the chief  executive  officer of OPCO,  such vacancy is filled by the
affirmative  vote of three of the  Owner  Directors.3
Each  Owner  Director  is expected to advocate and further the  interests of
the Owner who  appointed  the Owner Director; 
- --------
 1 Tex. Const., art. III, ss. 53 (amended 1904).
 2 At least two opinions of the Texas Attorney General have authorized
     municipalities to enter into such arrangements.  See Op. Tex. Att'y Gen.
     No. M-1023 (1971) and Op Tex. Att'y. Gen No. DM-1994 (1992).
 3 Article VII of the Articles and Section 2.2 of the Bylaws of OPCO.



<PAGE>



and no Owner  Director is expected to further the interests of the other Owners.
4 The officers of OPCO are elected or  appointed by the Board of  Directors.

     OPCO is not  authorized  under its  Articles  to conduct  any  business  or
activity  other than  serving  as  operator  of STP  pursuant  to the  Operating
Agreement and is  prohibited  from  engaging in any activity  seeking  profit or
pecuniary  gain.5 A unanimous vote of the Board of Directors is necessary to
dissolve  OPCO or merge it with any other  entity or to amend its  Articles  and
Bylaws.6  Any residual assets remaining upon the dissolution of OPCO may not
be distributed to any person other than a governmental agency or charity.7

     Pursuant  to the  Operating  Agreement,  OPCO  will not  have an  ownership
interest in (i) the property or utility assets  constituting STP, (ii) the power
generated by STP,  (iii) the revenues  received from the sale of power,  or (iv)
the fuel used to generate the  power.8  STP will continue to be owned by the
Owners as tenants-in-common  pursuant to the terms of the Amended  Participation
Agreement.  As between OPCO and the Owners,  all risks associated with ownership
or loss of the property  comprising STP and all benefits  issuing from ownership
will be vested in the  Owners.9  The Operating  Agreement  provides that the
Owners recognize that OPCO "is a non-profit corporation,  formed, controlled and
financed by the [Owners] solely for the
- --------

4 Article IV of the Articles of OPCO.
5 Article IV of the Articles of OPCO.
6 Articles VIII and IX of the Articles of Incorporation of OPCO.
7 Article VIII of the Articles of OPCO.
8 Section 2.2E of the  Operating Agreement.
9 Section 4.2 of the Operating Agreement.



<PAGE>



purpose  of  acting  on  behalf  of  the   [Owners]  in  carrying  out  the
responsibilities  which are described  herein."10 The Owners indemnify OPCO
from any damage  resulting from its performance  under the Operating  Agreement.
Such  indemnity  is  intended  by the  Owners  to hold  OPCO  harmless  from any
liability arising from OPCO's operation of STP11 and is consistent with the
objective  of all Owners  that all actual  costs or expenses of OPCO of whatever
nature will be borne by the Owners severally in accordance with their respective
ownership  interests  in STP.  Such  costs  would be  incurred  by OPCO based on
budgets approved by the Owners after  consultation  with OPCO. OPCO will have no
right or authority to bind the Owners, without their consent, to the acquisition
or disposition of property.12
         Pursuant to the Operating Agreement, OPCO would possess, use, maintain,
repair,  improve,   operate,   decontaminate  and  decommission  STP  (excluding
operation of certain transmission  corridors and switch yards, which will remain
in the  control of HLP or CPL).  OPCO will  provide  or  provide  for all labor,
supervision,  supplies,  equipment and services for the operation,  maintenance,
repair, replacement, reconstruction,  decontamination and decommissioning of all
aspects of STP in order to deliver to the Owners the electric power generated at
STP. The Owners will bear the costs and  expenses  incurred by OPCO in operating
STP in proportion to their respective  ownership interests in STP, but OPCO will
not have any right to any of the electric energy produced by STP and will not be
entitled to any management fee or similar compensation and will derive no profit
from its operations under the Operating
- --------

10 Section 6.1 of the Operating Agreement.
11 Section 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 of the Operating Agreement.
12 Section 14.1 of the Operating Agreement.



<PAGE>



Agreement.  OPCO  will not be  permitted  to  market  on behalf of any Owner any
electric  energy  produced by STP.  Any  property of  whatsoever  kind or nature
acquired by OPCO will be acquired  for the account and benefit of the Owners and
will be owned by the Owners as  tenants-in-common  as  provided  in the  Amended
Participation Agreement.13
                              Issues Under the Act
     Section  2(a)(3).  The  applicants  believe  that  the  activities  of OPCO
undertaken  in  accordance  with the  provisions  of the  Amended  Participation
Agreement should not cause OPCO to be regarded as an "electric  utility company"
within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the Act,  because OPCO will not possess
the level of operating  authority with regard to STP necessary to cause it to be
deemed to "operate" STP under Section 2(a)(3)  pursuant to the Ebasco  Services,
Inc.  line of  no-action  letters,14  nor is such a result  required by the
plain meaning of the statute or, in applicants'  view,  sound public policy.  As
previously  stated,  OPCO  will  have  no  ownership  interest  in  STP  or  the
electricity  generated by STP.  Applicants  believe that OPCO will not "operate"
STP because OPCO will be subject to supervision of the Owners and,  accordingly,
will not have complete operating  responsibility  over STP and because OPCO will
not be paid fees based on revenue  or  income.  In effect,  OPCO will serve as a
device for allocating actual
- --------

13 Sections 1.7, 2.1, 2.2E, and Article III of the Operating Agreement.
14 Ebasco Services,  Inc., SEC No-Action Letter,  (publicly  available
September 16, 1982).  Since the issuance of Ebasco  Services,  Inc., a series of
similar  no-action  letters have  confirmed  the  conclusions  reached in Ebasco
Services,  Inc.,  even in cases in which the company in  question  had a greater
measure of  responsibility  than is contemplated for OPCO. See, Westvaco Corp. ,
SEC No-Action Letter,  (publicly  available August 26, 1996), Tucson Elec. Power
Corp., SEC No-Action Letter,  (publicly available September 27, 1995),  Kenetech
Windpower, Inc., SEC No-Action Letter, (publicly available April 15, 1994) Ogden
Martin Systems of Clark Limited  Partnership,  SEC No-Action  Letter,  (publicly
available  December 6, 1993,  Bechtel Power  Corporation,  SEC No-Action Letter,
(publicly available May 22, 1991); Colstrip Energy Limited Partnership,  SEC NO-
Action  Letter,   (publicly   available   December  7,  1989),   and  Combustion
Engineering, Inc., SEC No-Action Letter, (publicly available August 24, 1987).


<PAGE>



operating  expenses  among  the  Owners of STP,  and OPCO  will  derive no other
revenues from its  activities  beyond those  necessary to defray such  expenses.
Indeed,  except  for  the  substitution  of OPCO as the  operator,  the  Amended
Participation  Agreement  is not  materially  different  from the  Participation
Agreement  and,  accordingly,  applicants  believe,  is  properly  regarded as a
reorganization of the existing  relationship among the Owners rather than as the
admission of a new "electric utility company" as "operator" of STP.
     The arrangements regarding OPCO are very similar to the situations in which
the Commission staff has granted no-action relief regarding similarly structured
operating companies or in which exemption applications have been approved by the
Commission  because  the  arrangements  under  discussion  did  not  involve  an
"operator"  within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the Act due to the level of
authority  retained by the owners of the  facilities.  See Wolf Creek  Operating
Corporation  (publicly  available December 11, 1995),  Western  Resources,  Inc.
(publicly available June 26, 1995) and Kansas Power & Light Company, Release No.
35-25465  (February 5,  1992).15  Accordingly,  applicants believe that the
formation of OPCO and the  implementation  of the South Texas Project  Operating
Agreement  does not result in OPCO  becoming  the  "operator"  of STP within the
meaning of the Act.

     Sections  9(a) and 13(b).  The  formation  of OPCO does not involve the
acquisition  of a "security"  within the meaning of the Act, since the formation
of OPCO does not involve the
- --------

15 See,  also,  Ogden  Martin  Systems  of Clark  Limited  Partnership
(publicly available December 6, 1993, Bechtel Power Corporation,  (publicly
available May 22, 1991);  Colstrip Energy Limited Partnership  (publicly
available December 7, 1989),  Combustion  Engineering,  Inc. (publicly
available August 24, 1987) and Ebasco Services, Inc. (publicly available
August 17, 1982).


<PAGE>



acquisition  of any  instrument  enumerated in the Act as a "security" or of any
instrument  commonly  thought of as a  security.  Indeed,  the  Owners  will not
acquire anything upon the formation of OPCO, but are merely  reorganizing  their
existing relationship in a fashion that does not result in the creation of a new
venture  or the  acquisition  by any of the Owners of any right or power they do
not already  possess under the existing  Participation  Agreement.  Accordingly,
applicants  believe the  formation of OPCO does not involve the  acquisition  of
"any  security" or "any other  interest in any  business"  within the meaning of
Section  9(a)(1) of the Act,  since the operation of power plants is an inherent
part of the core business of electric utility  companies.  The formation of OPCO
is not, in  applicants'  view, an "other"  interest in any business,  merely the
reorganization of the Owners' existing interest in their existing business, STP.
See GPUNC,  SEC  No-Action  Letter,  (publicly  available  September  27, 1995).
However,  CSW and CPL request any necessary  authority  under Section 9(a)(1) of
the Act to effect the transactions described herein.
         While not entirely  clear under  existing law, each of CSW and CPL will
treat OPCO as a "subsidiary  company"  within the meaning of Section  2(a)(8) of
the Act, and CSW and CPL will comply with all  applicable  provisions of the Act
and rules and regulations thereunder with respect to OPCO. In addition,  each of
CSW and CPL will treat OPCO as a subsidiary  service  company subject to Section
13(b) of the Act and will cause an annual  report on Form U-13-60 to be filed in
respect of OPCO's  activities.  The applicants request that the Commission waive
the requirement that a Form U-13-1  Application-Declaration  be filed in respect
of the formation of OPCO as all  information  required by that Form is contained
herein or will be provided by amendment.



<PAGE>



         The  documents  with respect to OPCO are in  substantially  final form,
although  additional  minor changes may be made to such  documents.  CSW and CPL
request that the Commission release  jurisdiction and issue an appropriate order
authorizing CPL to enter into and conclude the final form of documents to create
OPCO. CSW and CPL will augment the record herein with the final  documents to be
filed  with a  certificate  of  notification.  Item  2.  Fees,  Commissions  and
Expenses. Item 2 is amended as follows:
         An  estimate  of the  approximate  amount  of fees and  expenses  to be
incurred  in  connection  with  the  proposed  transactions  and not  previously
reported is as follows:

Type of Expense                              Approximate Amount


Counsel Fees                                      $35,000


Miscellaneous and Incidental Expenses               $1500
including, travel, telephone, copying and
postage


Item 3.  Applicable Statutory Provisions.
Item 3 is amended as follows:
         Sections  9(a),  10 and 13 of the Act are or may be applicable to CPL's
participation  in OPCO.  Sections  9(a) and 10 may be deemed to be applicable to
CPL's  participation  in OPCO insofar as such  participation is construed as the
acquisition   of  an  "interest  in  any   business"   under   Section   9(a)(1)
notwithstanding  the fact that no securities are being  acquired.  To the extent
any other  sections of the Act may be applicable  to the proposed  transactions,
CSW and CPL request



<PAGE>



appropriate  orders of exemption  thereunder to permit the formation of OPCO and
the implementation of the revised management  arrangements with regard to STP as
described herein.

Item 4.  Regulatory Approvals.
Item 4 is amended as follows:
         The Owners have  requested  letter  rulings from the  Internal  Revenue
Service as to the tax status of OPCO.  Also,  other  approvals from the state or
local authorities which may be required will be sought. Item 5. Procedure.  Item
5 is amended as follows:
         CSW and CPL request that the Commission issue and publish no later than
June 6, 1997 the  requisite  notice  under Rule 23 with respect to the filing of
this  application,  such notice to specify a date not later than July 2, 1997 as
the date after which an order granting and permitting this application to become
effective may be entered by the  Commission,  and that the Commission  enter not
later  than July 3, 1997 an  appropriate  order  granting  and  permitting  this
Application to become effective.
         CSW and CPL respectively  request that appropriate and timely action be
taken by Commission in this matter..
         No  recommended  decision  by a hearing  officer  or other  responsible
officer of the Commission is necessary or required in this matter.
         The Division of Investment  Management may assist in the preparation of
the Commission's decision in this matter.



<PAGE>



         There should be no 30-day  waiting  period between the issuance and the
effective date of any order issued by the Commission in this matter; and CSW and
CPL respectively request that any such order be made effective  immediately upon
entry thereof. Item 6. Exhibits and Financial  Statements.  Item 6 is amended by
adding at the end thereof the following:
         Confidential
         Exhibit 12 - Form of Amended and Restated  Participation  Agreement (to
         be filed by amendment).

         Confidential
         Exhibit 13 - Form of South Texas  Project  Operating  Agreement  (to be
         filed by amendment).

         Confidential
         Exhibit 14 - Form of Articles of  Incorporation of OPCO (to be filed by
         amendment).

         Confidential
         Exhibit 15 - Form of Bylaws of OPCO (to be filed by amendment).

         Exhibit 16 - Preliminary Opinion of Vinson & Elkins LLP, Counsel to CSW
         and CPL (to be filed by Amendment).

         Exhibit  17 - Final or "past  tense"  opinion  of Vinson & Elkins  LLP,
         Counsel to CSW and CPL (to be filed with Certificate of Notification).

         Exhibit 18 - Financial  Data  Schedule  (per books and pro forma)(to be
         filed by amendment).

         Exhibit 19 - Financial  Statements (per books and pro forma) of CSW and
         CPL and consolidated  subsidiaries as of March 31, 1997 (to be filed by
         amendment)

         Exhibit 20 - Proposed Form of Notice.





<PAGE>



                                S I G N A T U R E

                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Public  Utility  Holding
company Act of 1935, as amended,  the  undersigned  company has duly caused this
document  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the  undersigned  thereunto  duly
authorized.
Dated:  May 23, 1997
                                              CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST CORPORATION


                                              By:/s/ WENDY G. HARGUS
                                                     Wendy G. Hargus
                                                     Treasurer



<PAGE>



                                S I G N A T U R E


                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Public  Utility  Holding
company Act of 1935, as amended,  the  undersigned  company has duly caused this
document  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the  undersigned  thereunto  duly
authorized.
Dated:  May 23, 1997

                                             CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY

                                             By:/s/ WENDY G. HARGUS
                                                    Wendy G. Hargus
                                                    Treasurer



<PAGE>



                                INDEX OF EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT                                                TRANSMISSION
NUMBER                 EXHIBITS                        METHOD


12   Form of Amended and Restated Participation
     Agreement (to be filed by amendment)


13   Form of South Texas Project Operating
     Agreement (to be filed by amendment)


14   Form of Articles of Incorporation of OPCO (to
     be filed by amendment)


15   Form of Bylaws of OPCO (to be filed by
     amendment)


16   Preliminary Opinion of Vinson & Elkins LLP,
     Counsel to CSW and CPL (to be filed by
     Amendment)


17   Final or "past tense" opinion of Vinson & Elkins LLP,
     Counsel to CSW and CPL (to be filed with Certificate
     of Notification)


18   Financial Data Schedule (per books and pro
     forma) (to be filed by amendment)


19   Financial  Statements (per books and pro forma) of
     CSW and CPL and  consolidated subsidiaries as of
     December 31, 1996 (to be filed by amendment)


20   Proposed Form of Notice                                EDGAR










                                                                 EXHIBIT 20

                                [FORM OF NOTICE]

         Notice is hereby  given  that  Central  and South West  Corporation,  a
Delaware  corporation  ("CSW"),  a registered  holding  company under the Public
Utility  Holding  Company Act of 1935 (the  "Act") and  Central  Power and Light
Company, a Texas corporation ("CPL"), a wholly-owned electric utility subsidiary
of CSW have filed an  Application-Declaration  under Sections 9(a), 10 and 13(b)
of the Act in connection  with the formation of a Texas  non-profit,  non-member
corporation  to serve as the  operating  company  for the  South  Texas  Project
Electric Generating Station ("STP").  All interested persons are referred to the
application, which is summarized below, for a complete statement of the facts.
         On May 29,1992  CSW and CPL  entered  into a  settlement  with  Houston
Industries  Incorporated  ("HII"), and its subsidiary,  Houston Lighting & Power
Company,  a Texas corporation  ("HLP"),  to normalize business relations between
the two systems and to settle several disputes which had existed between the two
systems for some time.  One such dispute  involved  allegations  by CPL that HLP
breached its duties and obligations in its performance as the Project Manager of
the STP.  The  settlement  and related  matters was the subject of orders of the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  dated December 8, 1992
(Release No. 35-25696)(the  "Original Order") and December 29, 1992 (Release No.
35-25720),    each   of   which    declared    effective    CSW's    and   CPL's
Application-Declaration  with respect to certain of the matters covered thereby.
However,  in the Original  Order,  the  Commission  reserved  jurisdiction  with
respect to one aspect of the  settlement of the  litigation,  the formation of a
new



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Texas  non-profit  corporation to act as the operating  company for STP, pending
completion of the record with respect thereto.
                  STP is jointly  owned by HLP,  CPL,  the City of San  Antonio,
Texas,  acting by and through the City Public Service Board of San Antonio ("San
Antonio"),  and the City of Austin, Texas ("Austin" and,  collectively with HLP,
CPL and San Antonio, the "Owners"). The Owners' respective ownership percentages
in STP would not be effected by the formation of OPCO (as hereinafter  defined).
As a final step in  implementing  the Settlement and in order to give each Owner
an equal voice in the operation of STP, the Owners have agreed to relieve HLP of
its rights and  obligations as project  manager of STP and to have a new entity,
STP Nuclear Operating Company, a Texas non-profit corporation without membership
interests ("OPCO"), assume HLP's obligations to manage STP.
         OPCO,  as operator of STP,  will not be an owner of STP and will not be
entitled to take,  or have any  ownership  interest in, any energy  generated by
STP. OPCO will be formed by the Owners.  Pursuant to the relevant  agreements to
be executed by the Owners,  OPCO will  maintain and operate STP,  subject to the
control and direction of an Owners Committee  consisting of  representatives  of
the Owners. The Board of Directors of OPCO will be chosen by the Owners and will
be composed of one  representative of each Owner and the Chief Executive Officer
of OPCO. OPCO is not authorized  under its  organizational  documents to conduct
any  business or activity  other than serving as operator of STP pursuant to the
relevant  agreements  and is prohibited  from  engaging in any activity  seeking
profit  or  pecuniary  gain.  A  unanimous  vote of the  Board of  Directors  is
necessary to dissolve OPCO or merge it with any other entity or to



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amend its  organizational  documents.  Any residual  assets  remaining  upon the
dissolution  of  OPCO  may  not  be  distributed  to  any  person  other  than a
governmental agency or charity.
         Pursuant to the  Operating  Agreement,  OPCO will not have an ownership
interest in (i) the property or utility assets  constituting STP, (ii) the power
generated by STP,  (iii) the revenues  received from the sale of power,  or (iv)
the fuel used to generate the power. STP will continue to be owned by the Owners
as tenants-in-common.  As between OPCO and the Owners, all risks associated with
ownership or loss of the property  comprising STP and all benefits  issuing from
ownership will be vested in the Owners.
         OPCO  would  possess,   use,  maintain,   repair,   improve,   operate,
decontaminate and decommission STP (with certain exclusions).  OPCO will provide
or provide for all labor, supervision,  supplies, equipment and services for the
operation, maintenance, repair, replacement, reconstruction, decontamination and
decommissioning  of all  aspects  of STP in order to  deliver  to the Owners the
electric  power  generated  at STP.  The Owners will bear the costs and expenses
incurred by OPCO in operating STP in proportion  to their  respective  ownership
interests in STP, but OPCO will not have any right to any of the electric energy
produced  by STP and will  not be  entitled  to any  management  fee or  similar
compensation  and will derive no profit from its operations  under the Operating
Agreement.  OPCO  will not be  permitted  to  market  on behalf of any Owner any
electric  energy  produced by STP.  Any  property of  whatsoever  kind or nature
acquired by OPCO will be acquired for the account and benefit of the Owners.
         Notice is further given that any interested  person may, not later than
July 2,  1997,  request  in  writing  that a hearing  be held in  respect of the
requests for authority, relating to the nature of



<PAGE>


his  interest and the reasons for each  request,  and the issues of fact and law
which he desires to controvert; or he may request that he be notified should the
Commission  order a  hearing  herein.  Any such  request  should  be  addressed:
Secretary,  Securities and Exchange Commission,  Washington,  D.C. 20549. At any
time after said date, the Commission may grant the authorization  requested,  or
take such other action as it deems appropriate.




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