Opinion ID: 383816
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Availability of Geographic Competition Before the Colowyo Contract.

Text: 156 The Commission also found that competitive alternatives were available to CP&L before it entered into the Colowyo contract. The only evidence in the record concerning the existence of alternative sources before the Colowyo contract is the brief summaries by railroad witnesses implying possible contacts CP&L may have had with other domestic coal mines as it began its search for a reliable and suitable source, as well as railroad witnesses' assertions that CP&L acknowledged contacts with other mines. (J.A. II, pp. 798 and 859-60). As we noted above in our discussion of the substantial investment presumption, there is no indication that these other mines had coal in the quantities or quality necessary for CP&L's Coleto Creek plant. There is no indication as to how serious negotiations were with these other mines or how far they progressed. As such, we believe this evidence is insufficient to support the Commission's findings of the existence of geographic competition before the Colowyo contract, and those findings are accordingly vacated. 157