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EPSA SUPPORTS CUSTOMER CONCERNS REGARDING ENTERGY'S INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION COORDINATOR; SEEKS TECHNICAL CONFERENCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) yesterday supported the concerns expressed by the Lafayette Utilities System and Occidental Chemical Corporation over the Entergy Independent Coordinator of Transmission's (ICT) third quarter report filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). EPSA joined these major customers of the Entergy system in urging the Commission to convene a technical conference to assess the sufficiency of the ICT's resources.

"The ICT can operate independently with adequate authority and provide non-discriminatory transmission access in the Entergy region only if it has sufficient resources," said EPSA President and CEO John E. Shelk. "The insightful filings by Lafayette and Occidental demonstrate that ICT faces significant challenges in fulfilling its role. Competitive suppliers, also transmission customers on the Entergy system, hail the timely findings by the municipal and industrial customers, and join their call for a technical conference to obtain more information on the ICT's ability to perform its duties to ensure that Entergy lives up to its obligations under the Federal Power Act," said Shelk.

Lafayette and Occidental each found the dramatic increase in "transmission loading relief" events since SPP (Southwest Power Pool) became the Entergy system ICT to be unacceptable. In addition, Lafayette noted that there has been a surge in unresolved transmission service studies and plans to alleviate congestion remain untenable. EPSA's filing supports these findings and reiterates the call for a technical conference to assess whether SPP has adequate resources to fulfill its responsibilities as the Entergy ICT.

Shelk concluded, "If SPP does not have adequate resources, and its role as the ICT does not result in demonstrable progress to open up the Entergy system to competition, then additional corrective action will be required."

A copy of the filing is available at www.epsa.org.

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CONTACT: JOHN SHELK
(202) 349-0154or 703-472-8660

EPSA is the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers, including generators and marketers. These suppliers, who account for nearly 40 percent of the installed generating capacity in the United States, provide reliable and competitively priced electricity from environmentally responsible facilities serving global power markets. EPSA seeks to bring the benefits of competition to all power customers.