State Controller Releases Unedited Contracts SACRAMENTO (AP) 7.02.01, 12:00p

-- State Controller Kathleen Connell released unedited versions of $43 billion worth of long-term energy contracts with 18 power generators Monday. The contracts were the subject of a court fight between Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, Republican legislators, and news organizations including The Associated Press.

For months, Davis had refused to release details of nearly $43 billion worth of long-term contacts the state has signed with 18 electricity providers, saying the documents needed to remain secret. The state began negotiating the contracts in January after the state's three private utilities were unable to secure credit to buy power.

On June 15, Davis released 38 of the contracts, but they had key portions blacked out. The news organizations then sued to have the complete contracts released.

The newly released documents show which companies are selling power to the state, how much they are charging and where it is generated.

Connell also released documents showing the state has paid $402.6 million toward the long-term energy contracts. The state also paid various energy consultants $2.8 million. Those contracts include payments to several industry officials who have been negotiating the state's long-term power contracts, such as David Freeman, the governor's chief energy adviser.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), July 02, 2001