ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE CO
8-K, 2001-01-10
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): November 27, 2000


                         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

STATE REGULATORY MATTERS

     SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

     As  previously  reported,  in  December  1999 two  parties  filed  lawsuits
challenging  the  Arizona   Corporation   Commission   ("ACC")   approval  of  a
comprehensive  Settlement  Agreement between Arizona Public Service Company (the
"Company") and various parties relating to the implementation of retail electric
competition.  See Note 6 of  Notes  to  Condensed  Financial  Statements  in the
Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September
30, 2000 (the  "September  2000 10-Q").  With respect to one of the appeals,  on
December  26,  2000,  the Court of Appeals  affirmed  the ACC's  approval of the
Settlement  Agreement.  The other  appeal,  which  raises a number of  different
issues, is still pending a decision from the court.

     RETAIL ELECTRIC COMPETITION RULES

     On November 27, 2000, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge issued a final
judgment  holding that the Retail Electric  Competition  Rules (the "Rules") are
unconstitutional and unlawful in their entirety due to failure to establish fair
value  rate base and  because  certain of the Rules  were not  submitted  to the
Arizona  Attorney  General for  certification.  See Note 6 of Notes to Condensed
Financial  Statements in the Company's  September  2000 10-Q for a discussion of
the judge's  preliminary  rulings in this matter.  The judgment also invalidates
all ACC orders authorizing competitive electric service providers in Arizona. We
do not believe the ruling  affects the  Settlement  Agreement  with the ACC. The
Settlement  Agreement  was not at issue in the  consolidated  cases  before  the
judge. Further, the ACC made findings related to the fair value of the Company's
property in the order approving the Settlement Agreement.

     The ACC and other parties  aligned with the ACC have appealed the ruling to
the Court of Appeals,  as a result of which the ruling is  automatically  stayed
pending further judicial review.

     COMPANY RESTRUCTURING

     The  Settlement  Agreement  and  the  Rules  require  us  to  transfer  our
generating assets and competitive services,  including wholesale power marketing
and trading  activities,  to one or more  corporate  affiliates.  Subject to the
receipt  of  requisite  non-ACC  approvals,  we  plan  to  move  certain  of our
non-nuclear  generating  facilities  and  related  assets,  as well  as  certain
employees of our generation  business unit, to Pinnacle West Energy  Corporation
("PWEC"),  a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation  ("Pinnacle West"),
during the first half of 2001.  Wholesale power marketing and trading activities
are  expected  to be moved from the  Company to  Pinnacle  West during that same
period.

                                       2
<PAGE>
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     The above discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. Words such as "estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "plans,"
"believes,"   "projects,"  and  similar  expressions  identify   forward-looking
statements.  These risks and uncertainties  include, but are not limited to, the
ongoing  restructuring of the electric  industry;  the outcome of the regulatory
proceedings  relating to the restructuring;  regulatory,  tax, and environmental
legislation;  our ability to successfully compete outside traditional  regulated
markets;  regional economic conditions,  which could affect customer growth; the
cost of debt and equity capital;  weather  variations  affecting customer usage;
technological   developments  in  the  electric  industry;  and  the  successful
completion of  large-scale  construction  projects.  These factors and the other
matters  discussed  above may cause  future  results to differ  materially  from
historical results, or from results or outcomes we currently expect or seek.

                                       3
<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: January 10, 2001                 By: Michael V. Palmeri
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Michael V. Palmeri
                                            Vice President, Finance

                                       4


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