P.S.C. Wants Court To Reconsider Ruling Ordering Refunds

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi Power Co. and the state Public Service Commission are asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling ordering $200 million in refunds for rate increases collected for a Kemper County power plant.

In separate filings Thursday, the regulatory body and the unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co. argue the high court’s decision misreads the law.

The court ruled 5-4 on Feb. 12 that the commission exceeded its legal authority, didn’t provide enough notice to customers and improperly conducted business in secret.

The company and commission argue all of those are untrue. They say the commission was well within its authority, that newspaper legal notices and not individual mailings to all customers were required, and that a government is allowed to engage in private settlement talks when in litigation.