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): October 6, 1999
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
CALIFORNIA 001-2313 95-1240335
(State of principal jurisdiction of (Commission file (I.R.S. employer
incorporation of organization) number) identification no.)
2244 Walnut Grove Avenue
(P.O. Box 800)
Rosemead, California 91770
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
626-302-1212
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
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Items 1 through 4, 6, 8 and 9 are not included because they are inapplicable.
Item 5. Other Events
MOHAVE GENERATING STATION ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION
On October 6, 1999, Southern California Edison, the Los Angeles Department of
Water & Power, Nevada Power, and the Salt River Project, co-owners of the Mohave
Generating Station (the "Owners"), along with three environmental groups,
announced a settlement to a federal lawsuit that the groups had filed against
the Owners in February 1998, alleging power plant violations of federal and
state air quality regulations. The settlement, which is subject to final
approval by the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, will accelerate the planned
installation of additional air emission controls on the power plant. A copy of
the press release issued by the Owners on October 6 pertaining to the above
announcement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by
reference.
Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
(a) Not applicable
(b) Not applicable
(c) Exhibits
Exhibit
Number Description
- -------- -----------
99 Press Release of Mohave Generating Station dated October 6, 1999 entitled
"Mohave Plant Owners, Environmentalists Reach Agreement on Pollution
Controls"
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY
(Registrant)
KENNETH S. STEWART
-------------------------------------------------
KENNETH S. STEWART
Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
October 19, 1999
News Release from . . .
MOHAVE GENERATING STATION
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON*LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER
NEVADA POWER*SALT RIVER PROJECT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edison Contacts: Clarence Brown/Steve Hansen, (626) 302-2255
LADWP Contact: Eric Tharp, (213) 367-0387
Nevada Power Contact: Faye Andersen, (775) 834-4822
SRP Contact: Scott Harelson, (602) 236-3021
NOTE TO EDITORS--This press release as well as a series of fact sheets and
downloadable photos of the Mohave plant and the proposed emission control
facilities are available on Edison's media website: www.edisonnews.com.
Mohave Plant Owners, Environmentalists
Reach Agreement on Pollution Controls
Under settlement terms, Mohave Generating Station will install
equipment by Jan. 1, 2006 to reduce emissions by at least 85%.
LAUGHLIN, Nev., Oct. 6, 1999--The owners of the Mohave Generating Station
and three environmental groups announced today a settlement to a federal lawsuit
that would accelerate by three years the planned installation of additional air
emission controls on the 1,580-MW, coal-fired power plant located here.
The signed agreement is subject to final approval by the U.S. District
Court in Las Vegas. Under the terms of the agreement, the plant owners will
install a sulfur-dioxide scrubber and a fabric filter "baghouse" by Jan. 1, 2006
as opposed to Dec. 31, 2008, as initially proposed by the owners.
The scrubber must remove at least 85% of the sulfur dioxide from the
plant's air emissions, while the filtering system is expected to eliminate 99%
of the visible particles from the plant's airborne releases. Capital costs are
estimated at $300 million.
"The agreement creates a win-win solution for all sides," said Bob Wyman,
attorney for the owners. "All of the major stakeholders associated with these
negotiations will benefit from additional measures to protect air quality in the
desert areas of Arizona, Nevada and California, all the way to the Grand
Canyon."
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MOHAVE SETTLEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Page 2 of 2
While the long-term future of the plant will depend on the emerging
deregulated electricity markets and other plant costs, the settlement was
structured to provide the greatest chance for the plant to remain economically
viable. This was an important concern to the parties, who recognize the economic
needs of the local communities and the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation, for whom
hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in taxes, royalties and other
contributions are at stake.
The coal that fuels the Mohave plant comes from a mine on land jointly
owned and controlled by these tribes. In addition to the nearly 280 jobs
generated by the mine, the millions of dollars paid in royalties to the tribes
help fund a number of local health, education and welfare programs.
The environmental lawsuit was filed in early 1998 by the Grand Canyon
Trust, the Sierra Club and the National Parks and Conservation Association. It
alleged that plant operations were in violation of federal and state air quality
regulations. As part of the settlement, the defendants do not admit to these
violations.
Last December, the plant owners committed to place additional emission
control devices on the plant to augment and enhance existing devices and to
further reduce any limited contribution the plant may be making to visibility
impairment in the Grand Canyon. The major parties involved in today's settlement
have been able to strengthen this original commitment and address the concerns
of the environmental lawsuit.
"We're very pleased to be able to settle this issue through negotiations,
rather than costly, extended litigation," Wyman said. "The key settlement terms
are aligned with the owners' ongoing commitment to enhance Mohave's
environmental performance and build on its solid regulatory compliance record."
The plant's owners are Southern California Edison (56% majority owner and
operator); Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (20%); Nevada Power (14%);
and the Salt River Project (10%).
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