The good news here is that hearings are scheduled to begin next month, which should give us time to sell the retail book.---sch

Posted at 12:59 p.m. PST Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001 
PUC opens Enron probe 
CONTRA COSTA TIMES 
State regulators opened an investigation Tuesday to determine how the collapse of Enron might affect electricity supplies in California. 
The California Public Utilities Commission said it wanted to guard against possible price increases or operational problems that could arise. 
"Enron's sudden financial collapse and ensuing bankruptcy raise a number of concerns," said PUC commissioner Carl Wood. 
Enron, once the shining star of fans of energy deregulation, began a free-fall last month after revelations about its accounting practices led investors to lose confidence in the company. It filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 2. 
The company had been a big player in the energy trading markets, but generates no electricity of its own in California. 
The PUC on Tuesday began asking electric utilities and state electricity officials about how Enron's collapse might affect the state's energy market. 
Hearings are scheduled to begin next month.