Appeals Court Rules For California In Energy Crisis Claim
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court has sided with California in its attempt to win hundreds of millions of dollars in refunds from energy sellers accused of overcharging utilities during the state's energy crisis.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission improperly dismissed the claim by California officials. The 9th Circuit ordered the commission to reconsider its decision using a previous ruling by the court as guidance.
California officials had argued for a refund on the grounds that energy sellers failed to file required information with the commission during the energy crisis that would have allowed the commission to monitor prices in the state's energy market.
Those prices skyrocketed, and the state's electricity market was plagued by power shortages in 2000 and 2001.
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