7. Protective Orders and Treatment of Confidential Information

In its November 27, 2001 proposal, Edison attaches a protective order it requests be used in this proceeding. Several parties objected to this order in their comments.

At the PHC, ALJ McKenzie gave specific guidance on what should be contained in a protective order. Edison's protective order is far-reaching. It proposes, among other things, to provide access to certain confidential information in future filings only to Commission staff. ALJ McKenzie spent considerable time discussing his concerns with this proposal.

Edison agreed to consider the issues raised by ALJ McKenzie and additional issues raised by parties, make changes it found appropriate to its proposed order, submit the revised order to all parties for review, and then arrange for all interested parties to confer with ALJ McKenzie. PG&E and SDG&E agreed to participate in this process and use the protective order ultimately approved by ALJ McKenzie.

IT IS RULED that:

1. This ruling confirms the Commission's preliminary finding in its OIR, issued on October 29, 2001, that the category for this proceeding is ratesetting and that evidentiary hearings are necessary.

2. The ex-parte rules as set forth in Rule 7(c ) apply to this proceeding.

3. ALJ Christine M. Walwyn is the principal hearing officer.

4. The scope of this proceeding is described in Section 3 and the schedule is set forth in Section 4.

5. The official service list is attached to this ruling and the Electronic Service Protocols for service are attached at Appendix A. Additional parties wishing to participate as full parties must make their request by written motion or on the hearing record; requests to appear as information only or state service requests should be made by electronic mail to ALJ Walwyn.

6. ALJ Kirk McKenzie will separately handle the issue of the form of protective order to be used for confidential information in this proceeding.

Dated April 2, 2002, at San Francisco, California.

		/s/ LORETTA LYNCH
		Loretta Lynch Assigned Commissioner

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that I have by mail, and by electronic mail, to the parties to which an electronic mail address has been provided, this day served a true copy of the original attached Assigned Commissioner's Ruling Establishing Category and Providing Scoping Memo on all parties of record in this proceeding or their attorneys of record.

Dated April 2, 2002, at San Francisco, California.

/s/ TERESITA C. GALLARDO

Teresita C. Gallardo

NOTICE

Parties should notify the Process Office, Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2000, San Francisco, CA 94102, of any change of address to insure that they continue to receive documents. You must indicate the proceeding number on the service list on which your name appears.

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The Commission's policy is to schedule hearings (meetings, workshops, etc.) in locations that are accessible to people with disabilities. To verify that a particular location is accessible, call: Calendar Clerk (415) 703-1203.

If specialized accommodations for the disabled are needed, e.g., sign language interpreters, those making the arrangements must call the Public Advisor at (415) 703-2074,

TTY 1-866-836-7825 or (415) 703-5282 at least three working days in advance of the event.