Schedule for Hearings on Path 15 Project Benefits

The schedule for the first set of hearings is as follows:

Additional Direct Testimony January 25, 2002

Rebuttal Testimony to Additional Direct February 8, 2002

Last Day to Submit Motions to Strike February 15, 2002

and Discovery Requests

List of Exhibits, Cross Estimates February 18, 2002

and Witness Availability (See Attachment)

Replies to Motions to Strike Due February 21, 2002

Evidentiary Hearings(in San Francisco) February 25-28 and
March 1, 2002

Evidentiary hearings will begin on Monday, February 25, 2002 at 1:30 p.m. For the rest of the week, hearings will begin at 9:00 a.m., and my intent is to end each of those hearings days at 1 p.m., without a lunch break. However, if we can reduce the total number of days of hearings by extending the day until 3:30 (with a lunch break), I may do so.

All discovery disputes should be directed to the Commission's Law and Motion Judge. I plan to rule on motions to strike on the first day of hearings based on the written filings. There will be no opportunity for oral argument. As I ruled at the PHC, ORA may file additional direct testimony on January 25 in response to CAISO's November 15, 2001 rebuttal testimony. The rebuttal testimony due on February 8 will be admitted if (and only if) it rebuts the additional direct testimony served by parties on January 25, 2002.

Schedule for Hearings on Path 15 Cost and Benefit Allocation

Within three days from receipt of the signed MOU implementation agreements, PG&E will file and serve copies to the service list in this proceeding. At that time, I will establish by ruling a schedule for the filing of testimony and evidentiary hearings. As discussed at the PHC, I will establish an expedited timetable, but the exact dates will depend upon how close to the first set of evidentiary hearings we are at the time the MOU implementation agreements are finalized. I anticipate that PG&E will file supplemental testimony within 2-3 weeks from the date the MOU implementation agreements are final. That testimony will include updated total project costs and address both the direct and indirect cost allocation issues associated with PG&E's participation in the project. The direct allocation issues refer to the applicable tariffs that will be applied to bill costs to PG&E, whereas the indirect allocation issues refer to the manner in which the market may distribute the costs indirectly back to PG&E's ratepayers, as ORA suggests. The supplemental testimony will also address the manner in which project benefits will be allocated to PG&E's ratepayers. My expectation is that ORA and intervener testimony will be due approximately two weeks after PG&E's testimony is served.

Schedule for Briefs on Applicability of GO 131-D to Path 15

As discussed at the PHC, within two weeks (14 calendar days) from the date of filing the MOU implementation agreements, PG&E and interested parties should file briefs addressing the applicability of General Order (GO) 131-D to Path 15, in particular, whether PG&E is required to file an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for its participation in the project. Reply briefs are due five working days thereafter.