II. Jurisdiction

Applicants filed this application pursuant to Pub. Util. Code § 854¹ and Rule 35 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules). Section 854 precludes any person or corporation from transferring the control of any public utility organized and doing business in the state without first securing authorization to do so from this Commission. Rule 35 sets forth the information needed to be included in an application seeking authority to merge public utility facilities.