This is a deal to try to cover Gov. Davis' backside for his failure to act promptly and responsibly. Duke has been among the most politically active generating companies, regularly meeting with public officials and stressing its commitment to the state. In July, Duke sent a letter to Gov. Davis offering to sell California utilities 2,000 megawatts of electricity for five years at what now would be considered a bargain rate. They're unhealthy for the marketplace. The company would not say how much of a discount it would take on money it claims to be owed for power sales in California.
People do settle lawsuits.
However, industry spokesmen lauded Duke. Times staff writers Carl Ingram, Julie Tamaki and Rone Tempest in Sacramento and Mitchell Landsberg in Los Angeles contributed to this report.