SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO
8-K, 1999-10-22
ELECTRIC SERVICES
Previous: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO, 424B5, 1999-10-22
Next: STANDARD MICROSYSTEMS CORP, S-3/A, 1999-10-22



                      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 20, 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)



<PAGE>


Item 5.  Other Events

         On October 20, 1999,  Southern California Edison Company agreed to sell
$175,000,000  aggregate  principal  amount of its Floating Rate Notes,  Due 2000
("Notes").  For further information  concerning the Notes, refer to the exhibits
contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

(c)      Exhibits

Exhibit
Number                              Description
- -------                             -----------

1.       Underwriting Agreement dated October 20, 1999

4.1      Indenture dated as of January 15, 1993 (File No. 1-2313, Form 8-K
         dated January 28, 1993)*

4.2      Authorized Officer's Certificate of Southern California Edison Company

5.       Opinion of Counsel

12.      Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges


- -------------------------
*          Incorporated by reference pursuant to Rule 411.


<PAGE>



                                   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

October 22, 1999









                       SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                 DEBT SECURITIES



To the Representatives named
    in Schedule I hereto
    of the Underwriters named
    in Schedule II hereto

Dear Sirs:

        Southern  California  Edison  Company,  a  California  corporation  (the
"Company"),  proposes  to sell to the  underwriters  named in Schedule II hereto
(the   "Underwriters")   for  whom  you  are  acting  as  representatives   (the
"Representatives"),  the  principal  amount  of  its  securities  identified  in
Schedule I hereto (the  "Securities").  The  Securities  will be issued under an
indenture,  dated as of January 15, 1993 (the "Indenture"),  between the Company
and Harris Trust and Savings  Bank, as trustee (the  "Trustee").  If the firm or
firms  listed in Schedule  II hereto  include  only the firm or firms  listed in
Schedule I hereto, then the terms "Underwriters" and  "Representatives," as used
herein, shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.

        1.  Representations and Warranties.  The Company represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:

        (a) The  Company  meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3 under the
        Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") and has filed with the Securities and
        Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration  statement on such
        Form (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto), which
        has  become  effective,  for  the  registration  under  the  Act  of the
        Securities.  Such registration statement, as amended at the date of this
        Agreement,  meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x)  under
        the Act and complies in all other material  respects with said Rule. The
        Company  proposes  to file with the  Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b)
        under the Act an  amendment  and  supplement  to the form of  prospectus
        included in such registration  statement  relating to the Securities and
        the plan of distribution  thereof and has previously  advised you of all
        further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company to
        be  set  forth  therein.  Such  registration  statement,  including  the
        exhibits  thereto,  as  amended  at  the  date  of  this  Agreement,  is
        hereinafter called the "Registration  Statement;" such prospectus in the
        form in which it appears in the  Registration  Statement is  hereinafter
        called the "Basic Prospectus;" and such supplemented form of prospectus,
        in the form in which it shall be filed with the  Commission  pursuant to
        Rule  424(b)   (including  the  Basic   Prospectus  as  so  amended  and
        supplemented)  is  hereinafter   called  the  "Final   Prospectus."  Any
        preliminary form of the Final Prospectus which has heretofore been filed
        pursuant to Rule 424(b) is  hereinafter  called the  "Preliminary  Final
        Prospectus."  Any reference herein to the  Registration  Statement,  the
        Basic  Prospectus,   any  Preliminary  Final  Prospectus  or  the  Final
        Prospectus  shall  be  deemed  to  refer to and  include  the  documents
        incorporated by reference  therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which
        were filed  under the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 (the  "Exchange
        Act") on or before the date of this Agreement,  or the issue date of the
        Basic  Prospectus,   any  Preliminary  Final  Prospectus  or  the  Final
        Prospectus,  as the case may be; and any  reference  herein to the terms
        "amend,"  "amendment" or "supplement"  with respect to the  Registration
        Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the
        Final  Prospectus  shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of
        any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or
        the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus
        or the Final  Prospectus,  as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated
        therein by reference.

<PAGE>
               (b) As of the date  hereof,  when the Final  Prospectus  is first
        filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, when,  prior to the Closing
        Date  (as  hereinafter  defined),  any  amendment  to  the  Registration
        Statement  becomes  effective  (including  the  filing  of any  document
        incorporated  by  reference  in the  Registration  Statement),  when any
        supplement to the Final  Prospectus is filed with the  Commission and at
        the Closing Date, (i) the Registration  Statement,  as amended as of any
        such time, and the Final  Prospectus,  as amended or  supplemented as of
        any such time,  and the Indenture  will comply in all material  respects
        with the applicable  requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of
        1939 (the "Trust Indenture Act") and the Exchange Act and the respective
        rules thereunder and (ii) neither the Registration Statement, as amended
        as  of  any  such  time,  nor  the  Final  Prospectus,   as  amended  or
        supplemented as of any such time, will contain any untrue statement of a
        material  fact or omit to state any material  fact required to be stated
        therein  or  necessary  in  order  to make the  statements  therein  not
        misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations
        or warranties as to (i) that part of the  Registration  Statement  which
        shall  constitute the Statement of Eligibility and  Qualification  (Form
        T-1)  under  the  Trust  Indenture  Act  of  the  Trustee  or  (ii)  the
        information  contained in or omitted from the Registration  Statement or
        the Final Prospectus or any amendment  thereof or supplement  thereto in
        reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to
        the   Company  by  or  on  behalf  of  any   Underwriter   through   the
        Representatives  specifically for use in connection with the preparation
        of the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus.

        2.  Purchase  and  Sale.  Subject  to the terms  and  conditions  and in
reliance upon the  representations  and warranties herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to each Underwriter,  and each Underwriter agrees,  severally and
not jointly,  to purchase from the Company,  at the purchase  price set forth in
Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such
Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto.

        3. Delivery and Payment.  Delivery of  certificates  for and payment for
the  Securities  shall  be made  at the  office,  on the  date  and at the  time
specified  in  Schedule  I  hereto,  which  date and time  may be  postponed  by
agreement between the  Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section
9 hereof  (such date and time of delivery and payment for the  Securities  being
herein called the "Closing  Date").  Delivery of the Securities shall be made to
the  Representatives  for the  respective  accounts of the several  Underwriters
through  the  Representatives  against  payment of the  purchase  price  thereof
payable to the Company in the funds specified in Schedule I hereto. Certificates
for the Securities  shall be registered in such names and in such  denominations
as the  Representatives  may  request  not less  than one full  business  day in
advance of the Closing Date.

<PAGE>
        The Company  agrees to have  certificates  representing  the  Securities
available  for  inspection,  checking and packaging by the  Representatives  not
later than 3:00 PM,  New York time,  on the  business  day prior to the  Closing
Date.  All  references  herein to  "certificates"  shall mean one or more global
securities  registered  in the  name  of The  Depository  Trust  Company  or its
nominee.

        4. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

               (a) Prior to the  termination of the offering of the  Securities,
        the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or
        amendment or supplement  (including  the Final  Prospectus) to the Basic
        Prospectus  unless the Company has  furnished you a copy for your review
        prior to  filing  and will not  file  any  such  proposed  amendment  or
        supplement  to which you  reasonably  object.  Subject to the  foregoing
        sentence,  the Company will cause the Final  Prospectus to be filed with
        the Commission in accordance with the  requirements of Rule 424(b).  The
        Company  will  promptly  advise the  Representatives  (i) when the Final
        Prospectus  shall have been filed with the  Commission  pursuant to Rule
        424(b),  (ii) when any amendment to the Registration  Statement relating
        to the Securities shall have become  effective,  (iii) of any request by
        the  Commission  for any  amendment  of the  Registration  Statement  or
        amendment of or supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional
        information,  (iv) of the issuance by the  Commission  of any stop order
        suspending  the  effectiveness  of  the  Registration  Statement  or the
        institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of
        the  receipt by the  Company  of any  notification  with  respect to the
        suspension  of the  qualification  of the  Securities  for  sale  in any
        jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such
        purpose.  The Company  will use every  reasonable  effort to prevent the
        issuance  of any such stop  order and,  if issued,  to obtain as soon as
        possible the withdrawal thereof.

               (b) If, at any time when a prospectus  relating to the Securities
        is required to be delivered  under the Act, any event occurs as a result
        of which the Final  Prospectus  as then  amended or  supplemented  would
        include  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state any
        material fact necessary to make the  statements  therein in the light of
        the  circumstances  under which they were made not misleading,  or if it
        shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply
        with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, the
        Company  promptly will prepare and file with the Commission,  subject to
        the first  sentence of paragraph  (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or
        supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment
        which will effect such compliance.

               (c) As soon as  practicable,  the  Company  will  make  generally
        available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings
        statement or statements of the Company which will satisfy the provisions
        of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

               (d) The Company will furnish to the  Representatives  and counsel
        for  the  Underwriters,  without  charge,  copies  of  the  Registration
        Statement  (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which
        shall  become  effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as
        delivery of a prospectus by an  Underwriter or dealer may be required by
        the Act,  as many copies of any  Preliminary  Final  Prospectus  and the
        Prospectus and any  amendments  thereof and  supplements  thereto as the
        Representatives  may  reasonably  request.  The  Company  will  pay  the
        expenses of printing all documents relating to the offering.

               (e) The  Company  agrees to use its best  efforts to qualify  the
        Securities and to assist in the qualification of the Securities by or on
        behalf of the  Representatives  or of any of one or more of the  several
        Underwriters   for  sale   under   the  laws  of  such   States  as  the
        Representatives may designate, to maintain such qualifications in effect
        so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and to assist
        in the  determination  of the legality of the Securities for purchase by
        institutional   investors   under  the  laws  of  such   States  as  the
        Representatives  may  designate;  provided that the Company shall not be
        required to qualify as a foreign corporation in any State, or to consent
        to service of  process  in any State  other than with  respect to claims
        arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities.

<PAGE>
               (f) Until the  business  day  following  the  Closing  Date,  the
        Company  will not,  without the consent of the  Representatives,  offer,
        sell or  contract  to  sell,  or  announce  the  offering  of,  any debt
        securities  (i)  covered  by the  Registration  Statement  or any  other
        registration  statement  filed under the Act or (ii) to  purchasers  for
        resale in  reliance on the  exemption  from  registration  under the Act
        provided by Rule 144A under the Act.

        5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of
the  Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of
the  representations  and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein
as of the date hereof,  as of the date of the  effectiveness of any amendment to
the Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date (including the filing
of any document  incorporated by reference  therein) and as of the Closing Date,
to the  accuracy  of the  statements  of the  Company  made in any  certificates
pursuant to the  provisions  hereof,  to the  performance  by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

               (a)  No  stop  order   suspending   the   effectiveness   of  the
        Registration  Statement,  as amended from time to time,  shall have been
        issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
        threatened;  and the Final  Prospectus  shall  have been  filed with the
        Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 424(b).

               (b)  At  or  before  the  Closing  Date,  the  Public   Utilities
        Commission of the State of California and any other regulatory authority
        whose  consent or approval  shall be required  for the issue and sale of
        the  Securities by the Company as herein  provided shall have entered an
        order or orders  authorizing the issue and sale of the Securities by the
        Company on the terms set forth in the Final  Prospectus and herein,  and
        at the  Closing  Date such  order or orders  shall be in full  force and
        effect.

               (c) At the Closing Date, the Representatives  shall have received
        the  written  opinion,  dated the  Closing  Date,  of Bryant C.  Danner,
        Executive  Vice  President and General  Counsel,  or Kenneth S. Stewart,
        Assistant General Counsel of the Company, to the effect that:

                      (i) The Company is a  corporation  validly  organized  and
               existing  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of the  State  of
               California;  the  Company  has  full  corporate  power to own its
               properties and conduct its business as now being  conducted;  and
               the Company is duly  qualified  and in good standing as a foreign
               corporation  under the laws of the States of Arizona,  Nevada and
               New Mexico;

                      (ii) The Indenture has been duly authorized,  executed and
               delivered,  is qualified  under the Trust Indenture Act, and is a
               legally valid and binding  instrument,  enforceable in accordance
               with  its  terms,   except  as  enforcement  may  be  limited  by
               bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,  moratorium or other laws
               or equitable principles relating to or limiting creditors' rights
               generally;

                      (iii) The Securities  have been duly  authorized and, when
               executed,  authenticated,  issued and delivered  against  payment
               therefor in accordance  with the  Indenture  and this  Agreement,
               will  constitute  legally  valid and binding  obligations  of the
               Company,  enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as
               to enforcement, to the matters set forth in clause (ii) above;

<PAGE>
                      (iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under
               the Act, and, to the best of the  knowledge of such  counsel:  no
               stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the  Registration
               Statement  or  of  any  part  thereof  has  been  issued  and  no
               proceedings  for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
               or contemplated under the Act; the Registration Statement and the
               Final Prospectus,  and each amendment or supplement  thereto,  if
               any, as of their respective effective or issue dates, complied as
               to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act
               and the Trust  Indenture Act, and the applicable  published rules
               and  regulations of the  Commission  thereunder and no facts have
               come  to his  attention  which  lead  him  to  believe  that  the
               Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus,  or any amendment
               or supplement thereto, as of their respective  effective or issue
               dates,  contained  any untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or
               omitted to state any material fact required to be stated  therein
               or necessary to make the statements  therein not  misleading,  or
               that the Final  Prospectus,  at the Closing  Date,  contained any
               untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or  omitted  to state any
               material fact necessary in order to make the statements  therein,
               in light of the  circumstances  under  which they were made,  not
               misleading;  the documents incorporated by reference in the Final
               Prospectus,  when they  became  effective  or were filed with the
               Commission,  as the  case  may  be,  complied  as to  form in all
               material  respects  with  the  requirements  of  the  Act  or the
               Exchange Act, as applicable,  and the applicable  published rules
               and regulations of the Commission thereunder; the descriptions in
               the  Registration  Statement and the Final  Prospectus of federal
               and  state  statutes,  legal  and  governmental  proceedings  and
               contracts and other documents are accurate and fairly present the
               information  required  to be  shown;  and he does not know of any
               legal or governmental proceedings required to be described in the
               Final  Prospectus,  which are not described as required or of any
               contracts or documents of a character required to be described in
               the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or to be filed
               as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not described
               and filed as required; it being understood that such counsel need
               not pass upon the financial  statements and other  financial data
               contained in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus;

                      (v) All legally  required  proceedings in connection  with
               the  authorization  of the Securities,  the issue and sale of the
               Securities by the Company  pursuant hereto and the  authorization
               of the  transactions  related  to such  authorization,  issue and
               sale, and all such approvals,  authorizations,  consents or other
               orders of such public boards of bodies, if any, as may be legally
               required  with respect to all or any of such  matters,  have been
               had or obtained, except that the offer and sale of the Securities
               in certain  jurisdictions may be subject to the provisions of the
               securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions;

                      (vi)  The  execution,  delivery  and  performance  of  the
               Indenture  and  this  Agreement,  the  issuance  and  sale of the
               Securities,  and compliance with the terms and provisions  hereof
               or thereof,  will not result in a breach or  violation  of any of
               the terms and provisions  of, or constitute a default under,  the
               charter  or bylaws of the  Company,  or,  to his  knowledge,  any
               statute,  rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or
               body or any court  having  jurisdiction  over the  Company or its
               subsidiaries  or any  of  its  properties  or  any  agreement  or
               instrument to which the Company or any such subsidiary is a party
               or by which the  Company  or any such  subsidiary  is bound or to
               which any of the properties of the Company or any such subsidiary
               is subject; and

                      (vii) This  Agreement has been duly  authorized,  executed
and delivered by the Company.

        In rendering the opinion called for above, Mr. Danner or Mr. Stewart, as
the case may be, may rely upon appropriate  certificates of public officials and
officers or  employees  of the  Company  and the Trustee as to factual  matters,
provided that he shall state that he believes that both he and you are justified
in relying upon such  certificates  and opinions.  As to all matters governed by
New York law, Mr. Danner or Mr. Stewart,  as the case may be, will rely upon the
opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

        In rendering the opinion called for by clauses (ii) and (iii) above, Mr.
Danner or Mr.  Stewart,  as the case may be, may state that he is  expressing no
opinion as to the  availability  of  equitable  remedies  and may advise  that a
California court may not strictly enforce certain  covenants of the Indenture or
the  Securities or allow  acceleration  of the due date of the  Securities if it
concludes that such enforcement or acceleration  would be unreasonable under the
then existing  circumstances,  although,  in his opinion,  acceleration would be
available  if an event of default  occurs as a result of a material  breach of a
material covenant contained in the Indenture or the Securities.

<PAGE>
               (d) The  Representatives  shall have received from Gibson, Dunn &
        Crutcher LLP,  counsel for the  Underwriters,  such opinion or opinions,
        dated the Closing  Date,  with  respect to the  issuance and sale of the
        Securities,   the  Indenture,  the  Registration  Statement,  the  Final
        Prospectus  and  other  related  matters  as  the   Representatives  may
        reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
        such  documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass
        upon such matters.

               (e) The Representatives  shall have received  certificates of the
        Chairman  of the  Board,  the  President  or any Vice  President  of the
        Company,  dated the Closing  Date, to the effect that the signer of such
        certificate has carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Final
        Prospectus  and this  Agreement  and  that to the best of his  knowledge
        after reasonable investigation:

                      (i) the  representations  and warranties of the Company in
               this  Agreement are true and correct in all material  respects on
               and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the
               Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements
               and satisfied  all the  conditions on its part to be performed or
               satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

                      (ii) no stop order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
               Registration  Statement,  as  amended,  has  been  issued  and no
               proceedings  for that  purpose  have been  instituted  or, to the
               Company's knowledge, threatened; and

                      (iii)  since  the  date  of  the  most  recent   financial
               statements  included in the Final  Prospectus,  there has been no
               material adverse change in the financial  condition or results of
               operations of the Company, except as set forth in or contemplated
               in the Final Prospectus or as described in such certificate.

               (f) On the date hereof,  Arthur Andersen LLP shall have furnished
        to the  Representatives  a letter or letters (which may refer to letters
        previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives)  dated as of
        the  date   hereof,   in  form  and   substance   satisfactory   to  the
        Representatives,  confirming that they are independent  accountants with
        respect to the Company  within the  meaning of the Act and the  Exchange
        Act  and the  respective  applicable  published  rules  and  regulations
        thereunder, and stating in effect that:

                      (i) in their opinion the audited financial  statements and
               financial  statement  schedules  included or  incorporated in the
               Registration  Statement and the Final  Prospectus and reported on
               by them  comply  as to form in all  material  respects  with  the
               applicable  accounting  requirements  of the Act and the Exchange
               Act and the related published rules and regulations;

                      (ii) on the basis of a  reading  of the  latest  unaudited
               financial statements made available by the Company;  carrying out
               certain   specified   procedures   (but  not  an  examination  in
               accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing  standards)  which
               would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect
               to the  comments  set  forth in such  letter;  a  reading  of the
               minutes  of the  meetings  of  the  stockholders,  directors  and
               executive  committee  of the  Company;  and  inquiries of certain
               officials of the Company who have  responsibility  for  financial
               and  accounting  matters of the  Company as to  transactions  and
               events  subsequent  to  the  date  of  the  most  recent  audited
               financial statements  incorporated in the Registration  Statement
               and the Final  Prospectus,  nothing came to their attention which
               caused them to believe that:

<PAGE>
                             (1) any unaudited financial  statements included or
                      incorporated in the  Registration  Statement and the Final
                      Prospectus  do not  comply  as to  form  in  all  material
                      respects with applicable accounting  requirements and with
                      the published rules and regulations of the Commission with
                      respect to financial  statements  included or incorporated
                      in quarterly reports on Form 10-Q of the Company under the
                      Exchange Act; and said unaudited financial  statements are
                      not fairly presented (except as permitted by Form 10-Q) in
                      conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles
                      applied on a basis  substantially  consistent with that of
                      the audited financial  statements included or incorporated
                      in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus; or

                             (2) with  respect to the period  subsequent  to the
                      date of the most recent financial statements  incorporated
                      in the  Registration  Statement and the Final  Prospectus,
                      there  were  any  decreases,  at the  date  of the  latest
                      available unaudited  financial  statements prepared by the
                      Company, in the stockholders' equity of the Company or any
                      changes,  at a specified  date not more than five business
                      days  prior to the date of the  letter,  in the  long-term
                      debt or capital  stock of the Company  (other than changes
                      resulting  from  conversions  of  outstanding  securities,
                      drawdowns  of and  earnings  on  funds  held in  trust  in
                      connection  with pollution  control bonds and issuances of
                      stock under  existing  stock  plans) as compared  with the
                      amounts  shown on the  most  recent  consolidated  balance
                      sheet  included  or  incorporated   in  the   Registration
                      Statement and the Final Prospectus, or for the period from
                      the  date  of  the  most   recent   financial   statements
                      incorporated in the  Registration  Statement and the Final
                      Prospectus to the date of the latest  available  unaudited
                      financial  statements  prepared by the Company  there were
                      any decreases,  as compared with the corresponding  period
                      in the preceding year, in total operating  revenues or net
                      income,  except in all  instances for changes or decreases
                      set forth in such  letter,  in which case the letter shall
                      be  accompanied by an explanation by the Company as to the
                      significance thereof unless said explanation is not deemed
                      necessary by the Representatives; and

                      (iii)  they  have   performed   certain  other   specified
               procedures  as a result of which  they  determined  that  certain
               information  of an accounting,  financial or  statistical  nature
               (which  is  limited  to  accounting,   financial  or  statistical
               information  derived from the general  accounting  records of the
               Company) set forth in the Registration Statement, as amended, and
               the Final Prospectus,  as amended or supplemented,  including the
               information  included or  incorporated in Items 1, 2, 6, 7 and 11
               of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K incorporated  therein
               or  in   "Management's   Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial
               Condition and Results of Operations"  included or incorporated in
               any of the Company's  quarterly reports on Form 10-Q incorporated
               therein,  agrees with the  accounting  records of the Company and
               its    subsidiaries,    excluding    any   questions   of   legal
               interpretation.

<PAGE>
        In  addition,  at the  Closing  Date,  Arthur  Andersen  LLP shall  have
furnished  to the  Representatives  a letter or letters,  in form and  substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in the introductory
paragraph to this paragraph (f), in subparagraphs (i) and (ii) (1) above and, to
the  extent   referring  to  information   contained  in  Exchange  Act  reports
incorporated  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the  Final  Prospectus,  in
subparagraph (iii) above.

               (g) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
        given in the  Registration  Statement  and the Final  Prospectus,  there
        shall not have been (i) any  material  adverse  change  described in the
        certificate  referred to in  paragraph  (e) of this  Section 5, (ii) any
        change or  decrease  specified  in the letter or letters  referred to in
        paragraph (f) of this Section 5 or (iii) any change,  or any development
        involving  a  prospective  change,  in  or  affecting  the  business  or
        properties of the Company and its  subsidiaries  the effect of which, in
        any case  referred to in clause  (i),  (ii) or (iii)  above,  is, in the
        judgment of the  Representatives,  so material and adverse as to make it
        impractical  or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or the delivery
        of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration  Statement and the
        Final Prospectus.

               (h)  Subsequent to the execution of this  Agreement,  there shall
        not have been any decrease in the ratings of any of the  Company's  debt
        securities  by Moody's  Investor  Services or  Standard & Poor's  Rating
        Services.

               (i) At or prior to the  Closing  Date,  the  Company  shall  have
        furnished to the Representatives such further information,  certificates
        and documents as the  Representatives  may  reasonably  request and such
        additional opinions and letters as are provided for in Schedule I.

        If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if
any of the  opinions  and  certificates  mentioned  above or  elsewhere  in this
Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably  satisfactory in form
and substance to the Representatives,  this Agreement and all obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing
Date by the  Representatives.  Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the
Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.

        6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Company.  The obligations of the
Company to sell and deliver  the  Securities  shall be subject to the  following
conditions:

<PAGE>
               (a)  No  stop  order   suspending   the   effectiveness   of  the
        Registration  Statement,  as amended from time to time,  shall have been
        issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
        threatened.

               (b)  At  or  before  the  Closing  Date,  the  Public   Utilities
        Commission of the State of California and any other regulatory authority
        whose  consent or approval  shall be required  for the issue and sale of
        the Securities to the Underwriters as herein provided shall have entered
        an order or orders  authorizing  the issue and sale of the Securities on
        the  terms  set forth in the Final  Prospectus  and  herein,  and at the
        Closing Date such order or orders shall be in full force and effect.

               (c) Concurrently  with or prior to the delivery of the Securities
        to the several Underwriters, the Company shall receive the full purchase
        price herein specified for the Securities.

        If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been
fulfilled  when  and as  provided  in this  Agreement,  this  Agreement  and all
obligations  of the Company  hereunder may be cancelled at, or at any time prior
to,  the  Closing  Date.  Notice  of such  cancellation  shall  be  given to the
Representatives in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.

        7.  Reimbursement  of Underwriters'  Expenses.  The Company will pay all
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement and
will  reimburse  the   Underwriters   for  any  expenses   (including  fees  and
disbursements of counsel)  incurred by them in connection with  qualification of
the Securities for sale and  determination  of their  eligibility for investment
under the laws of such  jurisdictions as the  Representatives  may designate and
the printing of memoranda  relating thereto,  for any fees charged by investment
rating  agencies  for the  rating of the  Securities,  for any filing fee of the
National Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. relating to the Securities and
for  expenses  incurred  in  distributing  the  Prospectus  and all  supplements
thereto, any preliminary prospectuses and any preliminary prospectus supplements
to each  Underwriter.  If the sale of the Securities  provided for herein is not
consummated  because any condition to the  obligations of the  Underwriters  set
forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied or because of any refusal,  inability
or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement  herein or comply
with any  provision  hereof  other  than by reason  of a  default  by any of the
Underwriters,  the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand
for all out-of-pocket  expenses (including  reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel) that shall have been  incurred by them in connection  with the proposed
purchase and sale of the Securities.

        8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each  Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the  meaning of either the Act or the  Exchange  Act  against any and all
losses, claims,  damages or liabilities,  joint or several, to which they or any
of them may become  subject  under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation,  at common law or otherwise,  insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based  upon any untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of a
material fact contained in the  registration  statement for the  registration of
the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof,  or in the Basic
Prospectus,  any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, or in any
amendment thereof or supplement  thereto,  or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged  omission to state  therein a material  fact  required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading,  and
agrees to reimburse each such indemnified  party for any legal or other expenses
reasonably  incurred by them in connection with  investigating  or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action;  provided,  however, that (i) the
Company  will not be liable in any such case to the  extent  that any such loss,
claim,  damage  or  liability  arises  out of or is based  upon any such  untrue
statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged  omission  made
therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the  Company  by or on behalf of any  Underwriter  through  the  Representatives
specifically for use in connection with the preparation  thereof,  and (ii) such
indemnity  with  respect  to  the  Basic  Prospectus  or any  Preliminary  Final
Prospectus  shall not inure to the  benefit  of any  Underwriter  (or any person
controlling  such  Underwriter)  from whom the person  asserting  any such loss,
claim,  damage or  liability  purchased  the  Securities  which are the  subject
thereof if such  person did not receive a copy of the Final  Prospectus  (or the
Final Prospectus as amended or supplemented)  excluding  documents  incorporated
therein  by  reference  at or  prior  to the  confirmation  of the  sale of such
Securities to such person in any case where such delivery is required by the Act
and the untrue  statement or omission of a material fact  contained in the Basic
Prospectus  or any  Preliminary  Final  Prospectus  was  corrected  in the Final
Prospectus (or the Final Prospectus as amended or supplemented).  This indemnity
agreement  will be in addition to any liability  which the Company may otherwise
have.

<PAGE>
               (b) Each  Underwriter  severally  agrees  to  indemnify  and hold
        harmless the Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its officers who
        signs the  Registration  Statement,  and each  person who  controls  the
        Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the
        same  extent  as the  foregoing  indemnity  from  the  Company  to  each
        Underwriter,  but only with reference to written information relating to
        such  Underwriter  furnished  to the  Company  by or on  behalf  of such
        Underwriter  through  the  Representatives  specifically  for use in the
        preparation  of the documents  referred to in the  foregoing  indemnity.
        This indemnity  agreement will be in addition to any liability which any
        Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company  acknowledges that the table
        of  Underwriters  and principal  amounts and the statements set forth in
        the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading "Underwriting"
        in the Final  Prospectus  constitute the only  information  furnished in
        writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the
        documents  referred  to in the  foregoing  indemnity,  and  you,  as the
        Representatives, confirm that such statements are correct.

               (c) Promptly  after  receipt by an  indemnified  party under this
        Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action,  such indemnified
        party  will,  if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made  against  the
        indemnifying  party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying  party
        in writing of the  commencement  thereof;  but the omission so to notify
        the  indemnifying  party will not relieve it from any liability which it
        may have to any  indemnified  party otherwise than under this Section 8.
        In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it
        notifies  the  indemnifying  party  of  the  commencement  thereof,  the
        indemnifying party will be entitled to participate  therein,  and to the
        extent that it may elect by written notice  delivered to the indemnified
        party   promptly  after   receiving  the  aforesaid   notice  from  such
        indemnified   party,  to  assume  the  defense  thereof,   with  counsel
        satisfactory to such indemnified party;  provided,  however, that if the
        defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
        indemnifying  party and the  indemnified  party  shall  have  reasonably
        concluded that there may be legal defenses  available to it and/or other
        indemnified  parties  which are  different  from or  additional to those
        available to the indemnifying  party,  the indemnified  party or parties
        shall have the right to select  separate  counsel  to assert  such legal
        defenses and to otherwise  participate  in the defense of such action on
        behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from
        the indemnifying  party to such indemnified  party of its election so to
        assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified  party
        of  counsel,   the  indemnifying  party  will  not  be  liable  to  such
        indemnified  party under this Section 8 for any legal or other  expenses
        subsequently  incurred by such indemnified  party in connection with the
        defense  thereof  unless (i) the  indemnified  party shall have employed
        separate  counsel in connection  with the assertion of legal defenses in
        accordance  with the proviso to the next  preceding  sentence  (it being
        understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for
        the  expenses  of  more  than  one  separate  counsel,  approved  by the
        Representatives  in the  case  of  paragraph  (a)  of  this  Section  8,
        representing  the  indemnified  parties under such paragraph (a) who are
        parties to such  action),  (ii) the  indemnifying  party  shall not have
        employed counsel  satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
        indemnified  party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement
        of the  action  or (iii)  the  indemnifying  party  has  authorized  the
        employment  of counsel for the  indemnified  party at the expense of the
        indemnifying  party;  and  except  that,  if  clause  (i)  or  (iii)  is
        applicable,  such  liability  shall be only in  respect  of the  counsel
        referred to in such clause (i) or (iii).  Each indemnified  party agrees
        promptly to notify each  indemnifying  party of the  commencement of any
        litigation or  proceedings  against it in connection  with the issue and
        sale of the Securities.

               (d) In order to provide for just and  equitable  contribution  in
        circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a)
        of this  Section  8 is due in  accordance  with its terms but is for any
        reason held by a court to be unavailable  from the Company on grounds of
        policy or otherwise, the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on
        the other hand shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages
        and liabilities  (including legal or other expenses  reasonably incurred
        in connection with investigating or defending same) to which the Company
        and  one  or  more  of  the  Underwriters  may be  subject  (i) in  such
        proportion so that the  Underwriters  are  responsible  for that portion
        represented by the percentage  that the  underwriting  discount bears to
        the sum of  such  discount  and the  purchase  price  of the  Securities
        specified  in Schedule I hereto and the Company is  responsible  for the
        balance or (ii) if the  allocation  provided  by clause (i) above is not
        permitted by applicable  law, in such  proportion as is  appropriate  to
        reflect the relative  benefit  represented  by the  percentage  that the
        underwriting discount bears to the sum of such discount and the purchase
        price for the Securities  referred to in clause (i) above,  but also the
        relative  fault of the Company on the one hand and the  Underwriters  on
        the other in connection  with the statements or omissions which resulted
        in such loss,  claim,  damage or liability as well as any other relevant
        equitable  considerations.  The  relative  fault of the  Company and the
        Underwriters  shall be  determined  by reference to, among other things,
        whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
        omission  or  alleged  omission  to state a  material  fact  relates  to
        information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties'
        relative  intent,  knowledge,  access to information  and opportunity to
        correct or prevent such untrue  statement  or omission.  The Company and
        the  Underwriters  agree  that it  would  not be just and  equitable  if
        contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata
        allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
        purpose)  or by any  other  method  of  allocation  which  does not take
        account  of the  equitable  considerations  referred  to  above  in this
        subsection (d).  Notwithstanding  anything in this subsection (d) to the
        contrary,  (x)  in no  case  shall  any  Underwriter  (except  as may be
        provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of
        the  Securities)  be  responsible  for  any  amount  in  excess  of  the
        underwriting  discount  applicable to the  Securities  purchased by such
        Underwriter   hereunder   and  (y)  no  person   guilty  of   fraudulent
        misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall
        be entitled to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of such
        fraudulent  misrepresentation.  For  purposes  of this  Section  8, each
        person who controls an Underwriter  within the meaning of either the Act
        or the  Exchange Act shall have the same rights to  contribution  as the
        Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning
        of either the Act or the Exchange  Act,  each officer of the Company who
        shall have signed the  Registration  Statement  and each director of the
        Company  shall  have the same  rights to  contribution  as the  Company,
        subject  in each case to clause  (x) of this  paragraph  (d).  Any party
        entitled  to  contribution  will,  promptly  after  receipt of notice of
        commencement  of any action,  suit or  proceeding  against such party in
        respect of which a claim for  contribution  may be made against  another
        party or parties under this paragraph (d),  notify such party or parties
        from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such
        party or  parties  shall  not  relieve  the party or  parties  from whom
        contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have
        hereunder or otherwise  than under this paragraph (d). No party shall be
        liable for  contribution  with  respect  to any action or claim  settled
        without its consent.

<PAGE>
        9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail
to purchase  and pay for any of the  Securities  agreed to be  purchased by such
Underwriter  or  Underwriters  hereunder  and such  failure  to  purchase  shall
constitute a default in the performance of its or their  obligations  under this
Agreement,  the remaining  Underwriters shall be obligated  severally to take up
and pay for (in the  respective  proportions  which the amount of Securities set
forth opposite  their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate  amount
of Securities  set forth  opposite the names of all the remaining  Underwriters)
the Securities  which the  defaulting  Underwriter  or  Underwriters  agreed but
failed to purchase; provided, however, that in no event shall any non-defaulting
Underwriter be obligated to purchase additional  Securities under this Section 9
in an amount  exceeding 10% of the amount of the  Securities  set forth opposite
its name in Schedule II hereto. In the event that the amount of Securities which
all such  non-defaulting  Underwriters  shall be obligated to purchase under the
preceding  sentence  shall be less than the amount of Securities  which all such
defaulting  Underwriters  shall  have  failed to  purchase,  the  non-defaulting
Underwriters  shall  have the right (but not the  obligation)  to  purchase  the
remaining  Securities.  If all such  remaining  Securities  are not purchased by
non-defaulting  Underwriters as above provided,  the Company may, at its option,
(a) cancel this Agreement  pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 hereof or (b)
elect to proceed  with the sale and  delivery  hereunder of less than all of the
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters. In the event of a default by any
Underwriter  as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed
for  such  period,  not  exceeding  seven  days,  as the  Representatives  shall
determine in order that the required changes in the  Registration  Statement and
the Final  Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting  Underwriter of
its liability,  if any, to the Company and any  non-defaulting  Underwriter  for
damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

        10.  Termination.  This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the
absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior
to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) trading
in the Common Stock of Edison  International,  a California  corporation,  shall
have been  suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading
in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended
or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such Exchange,  (ii)
a banking  moratorium  shall  have been  declared  either by Federal or New York
State  authorities  or (iii) there shall have  occurred any outbreak or material
escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on the
financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of
the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities.

        11.   Representations   and  Indemnities  to  Survive.   The  respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the
Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to
this  Agreement  will  remain  in  full  force  and  effect,  regardless  of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter,  or the Company or any of
the officers,  directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof,
and will survive  delivery of and payment for the Securities.  The provisions of
Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the  termination or  cancellation  of this
Agreement.

        12.  Notices.  All  communications  hereunder  will  be in  writing  and
effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives,  will be mailed,
delivered or  telegraphed  and  confirmed to them,  at the address  specified in
Schedule I hereto;  or, if sent to the  Company,  will be mailed,  delivered  or
telegraphed  and  confirmed  to  it  at  2244  Walnut  Grove  Avenue,  Rosemead,
California 91770, attention of the Treasurer.

        13.  Successors.  This  Agreement  will  inure to the  benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers
and directors and controlling  persons  referred to in Section 8 hereof,  and no
other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

        14.  Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

        15.  Counsel for the  Underwriters.  As  discussed  in the  Registration
Statement, from time to time Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP performs legal services
for the Company and its subsidiaries  relating to special  matters.  The Company
and each  Underwriter  hereby  consent to Gibson,  Dunn & Crutcher LLP acting as
counsel  for the  Underwriters  in  connection  with the  offer  and sale of the
Securities.  The Company and each  Underwriter  hereby agree that if any dispute
should arise between the Company and any Underwriter  with respect to or arising
out of this Agreement or the offer and sale of the  Securities,  Gibson,  Dunn &
Crutcher  LLP would not  represent  either the  Company or the  Underwriters  in
connection with such dispute.


<PAGE>




        If  the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of our
agreement,  please sign and return to us a counterpart  hereof,  whereupon  this
letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company
and the several Underwriters.

                               Very truly yours,


                               SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY


                               BY:           Mary C. Simpson
                                   --------------------------------------------
                                           Assistant Treasurer


The  foregoing  Agreement  is  hereby  confirmed  and  accepted  as of the  date
specified in Schedule I hereto.

BY:  SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC.



BY:    Dean Keller
- -------------------------------
Name:  Dean Keller
Title: Vice President


For themselves and the other several Underwriters,  if any, named in Schedule II
to the foregoing Agreement.


<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE I



Underwriting Agreement dated October 20, 1999

Registration Statement No. 333-497

Representatives and Address:

   Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
   388 Greenwich Street
   New York, NY 10013


Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:

      Title:  Floating Rate Notes, Due 2000
      Principal Amount:  $175,000,000

      Purchase Price:  99.98% of the principal amount of the Securities.

      Maturity:  October 25, 2000

      Interest:  One month  LIBOR  rate  plus  0.10% as  described  in the Final
      Prospectus,  payable  on the  25th  day of  each  month,  commencing  with
      November 25, 1999,  through the maturity  date of October 25, 2000, to the
      holders of record on the day before each interest payment date.

      Sinking Fund Provisions:  None

      Optional Redemption:  None.

Closing Date and Time:  October 25, 1999, 7:00 AM, California time

Method of Payment:  Federal Reserve funds in Los Angeles, California

Modification  of items to be covered  by the letter  from  Arthur  Andersen  LLP
delivered pursuant to Section 5(f):
None

Location of Closing:

      2244 Walnut Grove Avenue
      Rosemead, California 91770
      or as agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company.



<PAGE>



                                   SCHEDULE II




                                                              Principal
                                                               Amount
                                                            of Securities
                                                                to be
         Underwriters                                         Purchased
                                                            -------------

         Salomon Smith Barney Inc.......................... $175,000,000
                                                            ------------

         Total............................................. $175,000,000
                                                            ============






                                                                           14
                       SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY

                        Authorized Officer's Certificate
                    Pursuant to Section 301 of the Indenture


         Mary C. Simpson,  an Authorized  Officer of Southern  California Edison
Company, a California  corporation (the "Company"),  acting pursuant to the July
20, 1995,  January 18, 1996, and February 18, 1999,  resolutions of the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Board Resolutions") hereby determines that:

         1. The Company shall issue a series of the Debt Securities  referred to
in the Board Resolutions under the Indenture,  dated as of January 15, 1993 (the
"Indenture"),  between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Trustee
(the "Trustee"), in accordance with the following terms:

                  (a) The title of the  Securities  shall be the "Floating  Rate
Notes, Due 2000" (the "Notes").

                  (b)  The  aggregate  principal  amount  of  the  Notes  to  be
         authenticated  and delivered  under the  Indenture  shall be limited to
         $175,000,000   (except  for  Notes  authenticated  and  delivered  upon
         registration  of transfer of, or in exchange  for, or in lieu of, other
         Notes  pursuant  to  Sections  304,  305,  306,  906  or  1107  of  the
         Indenture).

                  (c) The Notes shall mature on October 25, 2000.

                  (d) The Company will pay interest on the Notes on the 25th day
         of each month,  commencing  on November 25, 1999,  through the maturity
         date of October 25, 2000.  Interest  will accrue from the issue date of
         October 25, 1999 and will be paid to Holders of record on the fifteenth
         calendar  day before  each  Interest  Payment  Date.  If any  scheduled
         Interest  Payment  Date falls on a day that is not a Business  Day,  it
         will be postponed to the  following  Business Day. If the maturity date
         of the Notes  falls on a day which is not a Business  Day,  the Company
         will make the  required  payment of  principal  and/or  interest on the
         following  day which is a  Business  Day as if it were made on the date
         the  payment  was due.  Interest  will not  accrue  as a result of this
         delayed payment.

                  The Notes will bear interest for each monthly  Interest Period
         (as defined  below) at a per annum rate  determined by the  Calculation
         Agent  (as  defined  below),  subject  to  the  maximum  interest  rate
         permitted by New York or other applicable state law, as such law may be
         modified by United States law of general application. The interest rate
         applicable  during each monthly  Interest Period will be equal to LIBOR
         (as defined below) on the second London Business Day (as defined below)
         immediately preceding the first day of such Interest Period plus 0.10%;
         provided,  however, that in certain circumstances  described below, the
         interest rate will be determined  without reference to LIBOR.  Promptly
         upon such determination, the Calculation Agent will notify the Trustee,
         if the Trustee is not then  serving as the  Calculation  Agent,  of the
         interest rate for the new Interest Period. The interest rate determined
         by the Calculation  Agent,  absent manifest error, shall be binding and
         conclusive  upon the  beneficial  owners and holders of the Notes,  the
         Company and the Trustee.

<PAGE>
                  If  the   following   circumstances   exist  on  any  Interest
         Determination  Date (as defined  below),  the  Calculation  Agent shall
         determine the interest rate for the Notes as follows:

                           (1) In the event no Reported Rate (as defined  below)
                           appears on Telerate  Page 3750 (as defined  below) as
                           of  approximately   11:00  a.m.  London  time  on  an
                           Interest  Determination  Date, the Calculation  Agent
                           shall request the principal London offices of each of
                           four  major  banks  in the  London  interbank  market
                           selected by the Calculation Agent (after consultation
                           with the  Company) to provide a quotation of the rate
                           (the "Rate Quotation") at which one month deposits in
                           amounts of not less than $1,000,000 are offered by it
                           to prime banks in the London interbank  market, as of
                           approximately    11:00   a.m.   on   such    Interest
                           Determination  Date, that is representative of single
                           transactions   at  such  time  (the   "Representative
                           Amounts").  If  at  least  two  Rate  Quotations  are
                           provided,  the interest  rate will be the  arithmetic
                           mean  of  the  Rate   Quotations   obtained   by  the
                           Calculation Agent, plus 0.10%.

                           (2) In the event no Reported Rate appears on Telerate
                           Page 3750 as of approximately  11:00 a.m. London time
                           on an Interest Determination Date and there are fewer
                           than two Rate  Quotations,  the interest rate will be
                           the   arithmetic   mean  of  the   rates   quoted  at
                           approximately  11:00 a.m.  New York City time on such
                           Interest  Determination Date, by three major banks in
                           New  York  City  selected  by the  Calculation  Agent
                           (after  consultation with the Company),  for loans in
                           Representative  Amounts  in U.S.  dollars  to leading
                           European banks, having an index maturity of one month
                           for a period commencing on the second London Business
                           Day immediately following such Interest Determination
                           Date, plus 0.10%;  provided,  however,  that if fewer
                           than three banks  selected by the  Calculation  Agent
                           are quoting  such rates,  the  interest  rate for the
                           applicable  Interest  Period  will be the same as the
                           interest rate in effect for the immediately preceding
                           Interest Period.

                  Upon the  request  of a Holder of the Notes,  the  Calculation
         Agent will  provide to such Holder the  interest  rate in effect on the
         date of such request and, if determined, the interest rate for the next
         Interest Period.
<PAGE>

                  Interest on the Notes will be  calculated  on the basis of the
         actual  number of days for which  interest  is payable in the  relevant
         Interest Period, divided by 360. All dollar amounts resulting from such
         calculation  will be rounded,  if  necessary,  to the nearest cent with
         one-half cent rounded upward.

                  "Calculation  Agent" means Harris Trust and Savings  Bank,  or
         its successor appointed by the Company, acting as calculation agent.

                  "Interest Determination Date" means the second London Business
         Day  immediately  preceding  the  first  day of the  relevant  Interest
         Period.

                  "Interest  Period" means the period  commencing on an Interest
         Payment  Date for the Notes (or  commencing  on the issue  date for the
         Notes,  if no interest has been paid or duly made available for payment
         since  that  date) and  ending on the day  before  the next  succeeding
         Interest Payment Date for the Notes.

                  "LIBOR"  for  any  Interest  Determination  Date  will  be the
         offered rate for deposits in U.S.  dollars  having an index maturity of
         one month for a period  commencing  on the second  London  Business Day
         immediately following the Interest Determination Date in amounts of not
         less than  $1,000,000,  as such rate appears on Telerate Page 3750 or a
         successor  reporter of such rates selected by the Calculation Agent and
         acceptable to the Company,  at approximately  11:00 a.m. London time on
         the Interest Determination Date (the "Reported Rate").

                  "London  Business  Day"  means  a day  on  which  dealings  in
         deposits in U.S. dollars are transacted,  or with respect to any future
         date are expected to be transacted, in the London interbank market.

<PAGE>

                  "Telerate Page 3750" means the display designated on page 3750
         on Dow Jones  Markets  Limited  (or such other page as may  replace the
         3750 page on that service or such other  service as may be nominated by
         the British Bankers'  Association for the purpose of displaying  London
         interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits).

                  (e) Payment of the principal of,  premium if any, and interest
         on,  the Notes  will be made at the  Corporate  Trust  Office of Harris
         Trust and  Savings  Bank  maintained  for that  purpose  in the City of
         Chicago,  State of  Illinois,  in such coin or  currency  of the United
         States of America  as at the time of  payment  is legal  tender for the
         payment of public and private  debts;  provided,  however,  that at the
         option of the Company,  payment of interest may be made by check mailed
         to the address of the person  entitled  thereto as such  address  shall
         appear in the  Security  Register  or by wire  transfer  to an  account
         designated  by  such  person   pursuant  to  an  arrangement   that  is
         satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company.

                  (f) The Notes  may not be  redeemed  at any time  prior to the
         Stated Maturity of the principal thereof.

                  (g) The Company  shall not be  obligated  to redeem,  repay or
         purchase the Notes pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision,
         or at the option of the Holder thereof.

                  (h) The  Notes  shall be issued in whole in the form of one or
         more Global  Securities,  and the Depositary for such Global Securities
         shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York.

                  (i) The Notes shall not be subject to discharge and defeasance
         at the option of the Company pursuant to Section 1301 of the Indenture.

                  (j) The Trustee,  Authenticating  and Paying  Agent,  transfer
         agent,  registrar and Calculation Agent with respect to the Notes shall
         be Harris Trust and Savings Bank.

         2. The form and  terms of the  Notes,  attached  hereto as Annex A, are
hereby approved.

         3. Salomon Smith Barney Inc.(the  "Underwriter")  proposes to offer the
Notes  at an  initial  offering  price of 100% of their  principal  amount.  The
purchase  price of the  Notes to be paid by the  Underwriter  shall be 99.98% of
their principal  amount.  The  Underwriting  Agreement,  dated October 20, 1999,
between the Company and the Underwriter,  relating to the Notes, attached hereto
as Annex B, is hereby approved.

         4. The  undersigned  has  read the  provisions  of  Section  301 of the
Indenture and the  definitions  in the  Indenture  relating  thereto,  the Board
Resolutions  and other  corporate  documents and records.  In the opinion of the
undersigned,  she has made such  examination or investigation as is necessary to
enable her to express an  informed  opinion as to whether or not all  conditions
precedent  provided in the Indenture  relating to the establishment of the forms
of and terms of a series of Debt Securities  under the Indenture,  designated as
the Notes in this  Certificate,  have been complied  with. In the opinion of the
undersigned, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

         5. Capitalized terms used in this certificate and not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Indenture.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this certificate as of
October 20, 1999.



                                                          Mary C. Simpson
                                                          Mary C. Simpson
                                                         Assistant Treasurer


<PAGE>

                                                                        ANNEX A

This Debt  Security is a Global  Security  within the  meaning of the  Indenture
hereafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee
thereof.  Unless  and  until  it is  exchanged  in  whole  or in part  for  Debt
Securities in definitive form, this Debt Security may not be transferred  except
as a whole by the  Depositary to a nominee of the  Depositary or by a nominee of
the Depositary to the Depositary or another  nominee of the Depositary or by the
Depositary  or any such nominee to a successor  Depositary  or a nominee of such
successor  Depositary.  Unless otherwise  defined herein,  all capitalized items
shall have the same meanings ascribed to them in the Indenture.

Unless this  certificate  is presented by an  authorized  representative  of The
Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation  ("DTC"), to the Company or its
agent for  registration  of transfer,  exchange or payment,  and any certificate
issued  is  registered  in the name of Cede & Co.  or in such  other  name as is
requested  by an  authorized  representative  of DTC (and any payment is made to
Cede  &  Co.  or  to  such  other  entity  as  is  requested  by  an  authorized
representative  of DTC), ANY TRANSFER,  PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE  BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS  WRONGFUL  inasmuch  as the  registered  owner
hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.


                       SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY
            (Incorporated under the laws of the State of California)

                          FLOATING RATE NOTES, DUE 2000


No. R-1                                                            $175,000,000
                                                          CUSIP NO. 842400 ED 1



         Southern  California  Edison Company,  a corporation duly organized and
existing under the laws of the State of California (herein called the "Company",
which  term  includes  any  successor  Person  under the  Indenture  hereinafter
referred  to),  for value  received,  hereby  promises  to pay to Cede & Co., or
registered  assigns,  the principal sum of One Hundred and Seventy-Five  Million
Dollars  ($175,000,000)  on October 25, 2000,  and to pay interest  thereon from
October  25,  1999,  or from  the most  recent  Interest  Payment  Date to which
interest  has been paid or duly  provided  for,  monthly on the 25th day of each
month,  commencing  on November 25, 1999,  at a floating rate per annum based on
the one month  LIBOR  rate plus  0.10%  calculated  as set forth on the  reverse
hereof, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, and at
such rate per annum on any overdue  principal and on any overdue  installment of
interest.  The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on
any Interest  Payment Date will, as provided in such  Indenture,  be paid to the
Person in whose name this Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor  Securities)
is  registered  at the close of  business  on the  Regular  Record Date for such
interest, which shall be the fifteenth calendar day before such Interest Payment
Date.  Any  such  interest  not so  punctually  paid or duly  provided  for will
forthwith  cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may
either be paid to the  Person in whose name this Debt  Security  (or one or more
Predecessor  Securities)  is  registered  at the close of  business on a Special
Record  Date  for the  payment  of such  Defaulted  Interest  to be fixed by the
Trustee,  notice  whereof  shall be given to Holders of Debt  Securities of this
series not less than 10 days prior to such Special  Record  Date,  or be paid at
any time in any other lawful manner not  inconsistent  with the  requirements of
any  securities  exchange  on which the Debt  Securities  of this  series may be
listed,  and upon such notice as may be required by such  exchange,  all as more
fully provided in such Indenture.

<PAGE>
         Payment of the  principal of and premium,  if any, and interest on this
Debt  Security  will be made at the office or agency of Harris Trust and Savings
Bank, Trustee, Chicago,  Illinois, in such coin or currency of the United States
of America as at the time of payment is legal  tender for the  payment of public
and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company, payment
of interest  may be made by check  mailed to the address of the Person  entitled
thereto  as such  address  shall  appear  in the  Security  Register  or by wire
transfer to an account designated by such person pursuant to an arrangement that
is satisfactory to the Trustee and the Company.

         Reference  is  hereby  made to the  further  provisions  of  this  Debt
Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all
purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the  certificate of  authentication  hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof,  by manual  signature,  this Debt
Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.



Dated:  October 25, 1999                   SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY


                                          By       Alan J. Fohrer
                                             ----------------------------------
                                                 Executive Vice President
                                                 and Chief Financial Officer

ATTEST:

Bonita J. Smith
- ----------------------------
Assistant Secretary



<PAGE>




                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

         This is one of the Debt  Securities  of the series  referred  to in the
within-mentioned Indenture.

                                          HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK,
                                          as Trustee


                                          By ______________________________
                                                    Authorized Signatory


<PAGE>



                                 Reverse of Bond

         This Debt Security is one of a duly  authorized  issue of securities of
the Company  (herein called the "Debt  Securities"),  issued and to be issued in
one or more series  under an  Indenture,  dated as of January  15, 1993  (herein
called the "Indenture"),  between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank,
as Trustee  (herein  called the  "Trustee",  which term  includes any  successor
trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental
thereto  reference  is hereby made for a  statement  of the  respective  rights,
limitations  of rights,  duties and  immunities  thereunder of the Company,  the
Trustee and the Holders of the Debt  Securities  and of the terms upon which the
Debt  Securities  are, and are to be,  authenticated  and  delivered.  This Debt
Security  is  one of the  series  designated  on the  face  hereof,  limited  in
aggregate principal amount to $175,000,000.

         The Debt Securities will bear interest for each monthly Interest Period
(as defined below) at a per annum rate determined by the  Calculation  Agent (as
defined  below),  subject to the maximum  interest rate permitted by New York or
other  applicable state law, as such law may be modified by United States law of
general  application.  The interest rate applicable during each monthly Interest
Period will be equal to LIBOR (as defined  below) on the second London  Business
Day (as defined  below)  immediately  preceding  the first day of such  Interest
Period plus 0.10%;  provided,  however, that in certain circumstances  described
below, the interest rate will be determined without reference to LIBOR. Promptly
upon such  determination,  the Calculation Agent will notify the Trustee, if the
Trustee is not then serving as the  Calculation  Agent, of the interest rate for
the new Interest Period.  The interest rate determined by the Calculation Agent,
absent  manifest  error,  shall be binding and  conclusive  upon the  beneficial
owners and holders of the Debt Securities,  the Company and the Trustee.  If any
scheduled  Interest  Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business  Day, it
will be postponed to the  following  Business  Day. If the maturity  date of the
Debt  Securities  falls on a day which is not a Business  Day,  the Company will
make the required  payment of principal  and/or  interest on the  following  day
which is a  Business  Day as if it were  made on the date the  payment  was due.
Interest will not accrue as a result of this delayed payment.

         If the following circumstances exist on any Interest Determination Date
(as defined below),  the Calculation Agent shall determine the interest rate for
the Debt Securities as follows:

         (1) In the  event  no  Reported  Rate (as  defined  below)  appears  on
         Telerate Page 3750 (as defined  below) as of  approximately  11:00 a.m.
         London time on an Interest  Determination  Date, the Calculation  Agent
         shall request the principal  London offices of each of four major banks
         in the London interbank market selected by the Calculation Agent (after
         consultation  with the Company) to provide a quotation of the rate (the
         "Rate  Quotation")  at which one month  deposits in amounts of not less
         than  $1,000,000  are  offered  by it to  prime  banks  in  the  London
         interbank  market,  as of  approximately  11:00 a.m.  on such  Interest
         Determination  Date, that is representative  of single  transactions at
         such  time  (the  "Representative  Amounts").  If  at  least  two  Rate
         Quotations are provided,  the interest rate will be the arithmetic mean
         of the Rate Quotations obtained by the Calculation Agent, plus 0.10%.

         (2) In the event no Reported  Rate appears on Telerate  Page 3750 as of
         approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on an Interest Determination
<PAGE>
         Date and there are fewer than two Rate  Quotations,  the interest  rate
         will be the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted at approximately  11:00
         a.m. New York City time on such Interest  Determination  Date, by three
         major banks in New York City selected by the  Calculation  Agent (after
         consultation with the Company),  for loans in Representative Amounts in
         U.S. dollars to leading European banks, having an index maturity of one
         month  for a  period  commencing  on the  second  London  Business  Day
         immediately  following such Interest  Determination  Date,  plus 0.10%;
         provided,  however,  that if fewer than  three  banks  selected  by the
         Calculation  Agent are quoting such rates,  the  interest  rate for the
         applicable  Interest  Period will be the same as the  interest  rate in
         effect for the immediately preceding Interest Period.

         Upon the request of a Holder of the Debt  Securities,  the  Calculation
Agent will  provide to such  Holder the  interest  rate in effect on the date of
such request and, if determined, the interest rate for the next Interest Period.

         Interest on the Debt  Securities will be calculated on the basis of the
actual  number of days for which  interest is payable in the  relevant  Interest
Period,  divided by 360. All dollar amounts resulting from such calculation will
be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest cent with one-half cent rounded upward.

         "Calculation  Agent"  means  Harris  Trust  and  Savings  Bank,  or its
successor appointed by the Company, acting as calculation agent.

         "Interest  Determination  Date" means the second  London  Business  Day
immediately preceding the first day of the relevant Interest Period.

         "Interest  Period" means the period  commencing on an Interest  Payment
Date for the Debt  Securities  (or  commencing  on the  issue  date for the Debt
Securities,  if no  interest  has been paid or duly made  available  for payment
since  that date) and  ending on the day  before  the next  succeeding  Interest
Payment Date for the Debt Securities.

         "LIBOR" for any  Interest  Determination  Date will be the offered rate
for deposits in U.S.  dollars having an index maturity of one month for a period
commencing on the second London Business Day immediately  following the Interest
Determination Date in amounts of not less than $1,000,000,  as such rate appears
on  Telerate  Page 3750 or a successor  reporter  of such rates  selected by the
Calculation  Agent and acceptable to the Company,  at  approximately  11:00 a.m.
London time on the Interest Determination Date (the "Reported Rate").

         "London Business Day" means a day on which dealings in deposits in U.S.
dollars are  transacted,  or with  respect to any future date are expected to be
transacted, in the London interbank market.

         "Telerate  Page 3750" means the display  designated on page 3750 on Dow
Jones  Markets  Limited (or such other page as may replace the 3750 page on that
service  or such other  service  as may be  nominated  by the  British  Bankers'
Association  for the purpose of displaying  London  interbank  offered rates for
U.S. dollar deposits).

         If an Event of Default with respect to Debt  Securities  of this series
shall occur and be  continuing,  the  principal of the Debt  Securities  of this
series  may be  declared  due and  payable  in the  manner  and with the  effect
provided in the Indenture.

         This Debt  Security may not be redeemed at any time prior to the Stated
Maturity of the principal hereof.

<PAGE>

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment  thereof and the  modification  of the rights and  obligations  of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Debt  Securities  of each series to
be affected  under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with
the  consent  of the  Holders  of a  majority  in  principal  amount of the Debt
Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture
also contains  provisions  permitting  the Holders of specified  percentages  in
principal amount of the Debt Securities of each series at the time  Outstanding,
on  behalf  of the  Holders  of all Debt  Securities  of such  series,  to waive
compliance  by the Company with certain  provisions of the Indenture and certain
past defaults  under the Indenture and their  consequences.  Any such consent or
waiver by the Holder of this Debt Security  shall be conclusive and binding upon
such Holder and upon all future  Holders of this Debt  Security  and of any Debt
Security issued upon the  registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor
or in lieu  hereof,  whether or not  notation of such  consent or waiver is made
upon this Debt Security.

         No  reference  herein to the  Indenture  and no  provision of this Debt
Security  or of the  Indenture  shall  alter or  impair  the  obligation  of the
Company,  which is  absolute  and  unconditional,  to pay the  principal  of and
premium,  if any,  and  interest on this Debt  Security at the times,  place and
rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided  in and subject to the  provisions  of the  Indenture,  the
Holder  of this  Debt  Security  shall  not have  the  right  to  institute  any
proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or
trustee  or for any other  remedy  thereunder,  unless  such  Holder  shall have
previously  given the Trustee  written  notice of a continuing  Event of Default
with respect to the Debt Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than
25% in principal  amount of the Debt  Securities of this series (or, in the case
of certain Events of Default under the Indenture, not less than 25% in principal
amount of all  Securities)  at the time  Outstanding  shall  have  made  written
request to the  Trustee  to  institute  proceedings  in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable  indemnity and the Trustee
shall not have  received  from the Holders of a majority in principal  amount of
Debt Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction  inconsistent
with such request,  and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding,  for
60 days after  receipt  of such  notice,  request  and offer of  indemnity.  The
foregoing  shall not  apply to any suit  instituted  by the  Holder of this Debt
Security for the  enforcement of any payment of principal  hereof or any premium
or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth,  the transfer of this Debt  Security is  registrable  in the Security
Register,  upon surrender of this Debt Security for  registration of transfer at
the office or agency of the  Company  in any place  where the  principal  of and
premium,  if any, and interest of this Debt Security are payable,  duly endorsed
by, or accompanied by a written  instrument of transfer in form  satisfactory to
the Company and the Security  Registrar  duly  executed by, the Holder hereof or
the Holder's attorney duly authorized in writing,  and thereupon one or more new
Debt  Securities of this series and of like tenor,  of authorized  denominations
and for the same aggregate  principal  amount,  will be issued to the designated
transferee or transferees.

         The Debt Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral  multiples  thereof.  As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain  limitations therein set forth,
Debt Securities of this series are exchangeable  for a like aggregate  principal
amount of Debt  Securities  of this  series and of like  tenor,  of a  different
authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

<PAGE>
         No service charge shall be made for any such  registration  of transfer
or exchange,  but the Company may require  payment of a sum  sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due  presentment  of this Debt  Security for  registration  of
transfer,  the Company,  the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee
may treat the Person in whose name this Debt Security is registered as the owner
hereof for all  purposes,  whether or not this Debt  Security  be  overdue,  and
neither the Company,  the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice
to the contrary.

<PAGE>

                                  ABBREVIATIONS

         The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate,  shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations.


TEN COM   -  as tenants in common            UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -

TEN ENT   -  as tenants by the entireties   __________Custodian_______________
                                              (Cust)               (Minor)
JT TEN    -  as joint tenants with right    under Uniform Gifts of Minors
             of survivorship and not as     Act_______________________________
             tenants in common                        (State)

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


<PAGE>




                                   ASSIGNMENT

  FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s)
 unto

Please insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Assignee


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________
the Debt Security and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing

_______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said Debt Security on the books of the Company,  with full power
of substitution in the premises.

Dated:____________________   __________________________________________________


                             __________________________________________________
                     NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond
                             with the name as written upon the face of the
                             within instrument in every particular, without
                             alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.








                                                                     EXHIBIT 5

                                             October 20, 1999


Southern California Edison Company
2244 Walnut Grove Avenue
Rosemead, California  91770

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         This  opinion is rendered in  connection  with the offering and sale of
$175,000,000  aggregate  principal  amount of Floating Rate Notes, Due 2000 (the
"Securities") of Southern  California Edison Company,  a California  corporation
(the  "Company"),  registered  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), pursuant to Registration Statement Nos. 33-59001 and 333-497.

         As  Assistant   General   Counsel  of  the  Company,   I  have  general
responsibility   over  the  attorneys   within  the  Company's  Law   Department
responsible  for  rendering  legal counsel to the Company  regarding  corporate,
financial,   and  securities   matters.   I  am  generally   familiar  with  the
organization,  history,  and affairs of the Company. I am also familiar with the
proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the
offering and sale of the Securities, and I have examined such corporate records,
certificates,  and  other  documents  and  such  questions  of the law as I have
considered  necessary  or  appropriate  for the  purposes  of this  opinion.  In
addition, I have responsibility for supervising lawyers who may have been asked,
by me or others, to review legal matters arising in connection with the offering
and sale of the Securities.  Accordingly, some of the matters referred to herein
have not been handled  personally  by me, but I have been made familiar with the
facts  and  circumstances  and  the  applicable  law,  and the  opinions  herein
expressed are my own or are opinions of others in which I concur.

         Based upon the foregoing, I advise you that, in my opinion:

         (1)  The  Company  has  been  duly  incorporated  and  is  an  existing
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of California.

         (2) Subject to the continued effectiveness of the appropriate orders of
the Public  Utilities  Commission  of the State of  California  authorizing  the
issuance and sale of the Securities, when the Securities have been duly executed
and authenticated in accordance with the related  Indenture,  and the Securities
have been  issued and sold as  contemplated  in the  Prospectus  and  Prospectus
Supplement  relating to the Securities,  the Securities will constitute  legally
valid and binding obligations of the Company.


<PAGE>




Southern California Edison Company
October 20, 1999
Page Two


         I hereby  consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  and to the reference to me under the heading  "Validity of
Debt  Securities" in the  Prospectus.  In giving such consent,  I do not thereby
admit that I am in the  category  of persons  whose  consent is  required  under
Section 7 of the Act.

                                                     Very truly yours,


                                                     KENNETH S. STEWART
                                                     KENNETH S. STEWART
                                                     Assistant General Counsel








SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY AND CONSOLIDATED UTILITY-RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

                       RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

                             (Thousands of Dollars)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                                          Twelve
                                                                     Year Ended December 31,                          Months Ended
                                     ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         1994             1995             1996           1997            1998      Sept. 30, 1999
                                     --------------  --------------   -------------  --------------   -----------  ----------------

EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES
  AND FIXED CHARGES:


Income before interest expense
<S>                                <C>             <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>              <C>
(1)                                $   1,081,800   $  1,143,477     $  1,108,410   $   1,049,866  $      999,910   $       962,283
Add:
  Taxes on income (2)                    452,091        509,632          511,819         520,468         442,356           366,549
  Rentals (3)                              3,512          4,018            3,269           2,639           2,208             1,841
  Allocable portion of interest
      on long-term Contracts for
      the purchase of power (4)            1,870          1,848            1,824           1,797           1,767             1,743
  Spent nuclear fuel interest (6)             68              -                -               -               -                 -
  Amortization of previously
      capitalized fixed charges            2,271          1,185              814           1,127           1,571             1,560
                                     ------------   ------------     -----------    ------------   -------------    --------------
Total earnings before income
  taxes and fixed charges (A)      $   1,541,612   $  1,660,160     $  1,626,136   $   1,575,897  $    1,447,812   $     1,333,976
                                     ============   ============     ===========    ============   =============    ==============




FIXED CHARGES:
  Interest and amortization        $     443,219   $    463,786     $    453,015   $     444,272  $      484,788   $       478,169
  Rentals (3)                              3,512          4,018            3,269           2,639           2,208             1,841
  Capitalized fixed charges -
      nuclear fuel (5)                       254          1,531            1,711           2,398           1,294             1,792
  Allocable portion of interest
      on long-term contracts for
      the purchase of power (4)            1,870          1,848            1,824           1,797           1,767             1,743
  Spent nuclear fuel interest (6)             68              -                -               -               -                 -
                                     ------------   ------------     -----------    ------------   -------------    --------------
Total fixed charges (B)            $     448,923   $    471,183    $     459,819   $     451,106  $      490,057   $       483,545
                                     ============   ============     ===========    ============   =============    ==============


RATIO OF EARNINGS TO
  FIXED CHARGES (A) / (B):                  3.43           3.52            3.54            3.49            2.95              2.76
                                     ============   ============     ===========    ============   =============    ==============

</TABLE>




(1) Includes allowance for funds used during construction and accrual of
    unbilled revenue.
(2) Includes allocation of federal income and state franchise
    taxes to other income.
(3) Rentals include the interest factor relating to certain significant rentals
    plus one-third of all remaining annual rentals.
(4) Allocable portion of interest included in annual minimum debt service
    requirement of supplier.
(5) Includes fixed charges associated with Nuclear Fuel.
(6) Represents interest on spent nuclear fuel disposal obligation.



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission