San Francisco — Pacific
Gas and Electric Company today released the following statement
after the U.S. Bankruptcy Court issued its decision denying the
utility's request for a stay and an injunction on the TURN accounting
proposal. On March 27, the California Public Utilities Commission
(CPUC) issued an order that attempts to force the company to restate
all its regulatory books and accounts retroactively back to January
1, 1998. On April 9, the company had asked the court to stay the
CPUC's order, under the automatic stay provision of the Bankruptcy
Code. The court did not grant this request, citing certain exceptions
to the automatic stay:
"Pacific Gas and Electric
Company is disappointed that the court did not grant immediate relief
from the unlawful and retroactive CPUC order. However, today's decision
was not on the overall merits of the CPUC action.
"Pacific Gas and Electric
Company will continue to pursue all legal challenges to this unlawful
CPUC decision."