Opinion ID: 1343653
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Use of Data Processing System

Text: Colorado Ute entered into contracts with six of its thirteen members authorizing them to use the utility's excess electronic data processing capacity without charge if they furnished Colorado Ute with certain billing information. The commission found that this arrangement discriminated against the seven non-participating members who paid wholesale power rates which subsidized the cost of the computer services utilized by the six participating members. The commission therefore ordered Colorado Ute and participating members to negotiate and adopt a charging plan to provide for reimbursement of those costs. Colorado Ute argues that this conclusion is contrary to law, lacks evidentiary support and, inasmuch as it is inconsistent with an earlier commission decision that the arrangement was beneficial to Colorado Ute's member cooperatives, arbitrarily voids Colorado Ute's contracts with its participating members. Contrary to Colorado Ute's contentions, there is competent evidence in the record supporting the conclusion that all thirteen members were paying for costs incurred by the six members using the computer. The commission could conclude that these costs were not properly chargeable to the non-participating members and order Colorado Ute and the six remaining members to adopt a charging plan reimbursing Colorado Ute for their use of its data processing facilities. See Sangre De Cristo Electric Association, supra . Moreover, as we have observed in connection with the aircraft issue, the commission is not bound by stare decisis. Here, reversal of its earlier decision was supported by new evidence and a new record and, therefore, was neither arbitrary nor unreasonable. See B & M Service, Inc. v. Public Utilities Commission, supra .