ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO
8-K, 1998-12-11
ELECTRIC & OTHER SERVICES COMBINED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 9, 1998
                                                         ----------------

                         ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
                         ------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Arizona                     1-4473                  86-0011170
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction         (Commission              (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)              File Number)         Identification Number)


      400 North Fifth Street, P.O. Box 53999, Phoenix, Arizona          85004
      --------------------------------------------------------          -----
               (Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip code)



                                 (602) 250-1000
                 ----------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



                                      NONE
             -------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>
ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

         As  previously  reported,  the proposed  settlement  agreement  between
Arizona  Public  Service  Company (the  "Company")  and the Staff of the Arizona
Corporation  Commission (the "ACC") has expired by its terms.  See Item 5 of the
Company's  Current  Report on Form 8-K dated  December  1, 1998.  On December 9,
1998, the ACC Staff filed a Notice of Withdrawal of  Settlements  providing that
the  proposed  settlement  agreement  has by its  terms  expired  and is  deemed
withdrawn from  consideration  by the ACC. The withdrawal  does not preclude the
parties  from  continuing  attempts  to  resolve  the  issues  addressed  by the
agreement and presenting any new  settlement to the ACC for  consideration.  The
notice also  provides that the  procedural  order for ACC  consideration  of the
agreement is no longer in effect.  The Arizona  Supreme Court had scheduled oral
argument on January 14,  1999,  to consider  whether the  procedural  order gave
sufficient  notice to interested  parties of the ACC hearings on the  settlement
agreement.  The Company cannot  currently  predict how the Court will proceed in
this matter.

         In connection  with the  settlement  agreement,  the Company and Tucson
Electric Power Company  entered into a memorandum of  understanding  ("MOU") for
the exchange of certain assets.  See  "State-Proposed  Settlement  Agreement" in
Note 5 of Notes to Condensed  Financial  Statements in the  Company's  Quarterly
Report  on Form  10-Q for the  Fiscal  Quarter  ended  September  30,  1998 (the
"September  10-Q").  Pursuant  to the terms of the MOU, if there is no ACC order
approving a settlement  agreement by December 15, 1998, or an agreement  between
the parties to extend this deadline, the MOU will expire.

         On December 10,  1998,  the ACC adopted,  without  modifications  which
would have a significant impact on the Company,  the amended rules regarding the
introduction  of  retail  electric  competition  which  became  effective  on an
emergency  basis in August  1998.  See  "State-ACC  Rules" in Note 5 of Notes to
Condensed  Financial  Statements  in the  September  10-Q.  However,  due to the
Supreme Court stay, the Notice of Withdrawal and other  unresolved  issues,  the
amended rules cannot be practically implemented.

         In  April  1998,  the  Company  and  Salt  River  Project  Agricultural
Improvement and Power District ("Salt River Project")  entered into a memorandum
of agreement in anticipation  of, and to facilitate,  the opening of the Arizona
electric industry.  See Note 7 of Notes to Condensed Financial Statements in the
September  10-Q.  Certain  provisions  of the  agreement  may be affected by the
timing of the introduction of competition.
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Company  has duly  caused  this  report to be  signed on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                        ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
                                                  (Registrant)



Dated:   December 11, 1998              By:  Michael V. Palmeri
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Michael V. Palmeri
                                             Treasurer


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