Arkansas Blog

Lorax,

Let Suskie have it with both barrels!

The reading of the rules is very concise and basic and that is why the Appeals Court UNANAMOUSLY ruled that the PSC did not follow the law.

The PSC is acting as if there is some vague language that they can blame on their utter disregard for the law.

No doubt the Swepco guys are putting extreme pressure on the PSC since the PSC was in cahoots with Swepco and allowed them to begin and continue construction.

Now days the public is in no mood to get raped and forced to pay off Swepco's big dumb gamble. We like seeing Bernie Madoffs go to the slammer for life and we like seeing congressmen and governors in prison.

Investigative Reporters: Go after the PSC Members. Find out where they've taken vacations in the last 2 years, who owned the properties, how they got their, who paid the tarriff. Examine their bank records, have they had any changes in income or expenses? Find out what they have invested in, have those investments changed significantly over the past few years? Any large purchases over the same period, for home, expensive auto's, furnishings, anything tangible. Find and follow the money. Some of these guys have been bought, sold and delivered.

Janus, remember that one time when Sandra Hochstetter, former commissioner and chairman of the PSC, was hired by Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, a major partner in the Turk plant? If I remember correctly, it was pretty clear that she knew about the new job while she was still actively voting on Turk plant issues at the PSC. She only recused herself after people raised a stink.

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2007/08/only_in_arkansas.aspx
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2007/08/breaking_news_action_at_psc.aspx

Janus, perhaps there is a less cynical explanation. It seems to me that the PSC's support for the Turk plant may be the natural consequence of a process that typically selects commissioners that have no familiarity with regulatory principles or the industry that they regulate. That causes those commissioners to rely on an experienced commision staff that is industry-friendly. Couple that with politically sensitive people who appreciate the influence of the utilities in elections and in the legislature, and it is easy to see why the PSC seems disposed to make decisions that accommodate utility interests. Perhaps the commissioner selection process should be re-evaluated, as should the current process for providing publicly-funded advocates for customers and the public interest.