UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Pacific Gas and Electric Company		Docket Nos.  EC96-19-____	
San Diego Gas & Electric Company				 ER96-1663-00__
Southern California Edison Company

NOTICE OF
 NEW DATE FOR START OF OPERATIONS
OF THE
CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR CORPORATION

	In compliance with the Commission’s order December 23, 1997, the California Independent System Operator Corporation (“ISO”) hereby notifies the Commission that it intends to begin operations no later than March 31, 1998.  This decision was confirmed by the ISO Governing Board on December 29, 1997.  The ISO will commence operations sooner if final testing is successfully completed more expeditiously.  Pursuant to the Commission’s December 23rd order, the ISO will file a notice with the Commission at least fifteen days in advance of the actual ISO Operations Date.   A copy of the press release issued the evening of December 29, immediately following the ISO Governing Board meeting, is attached hereto.
This pleading, including the attachment is being served on the parties to this proceeding and will promptly be placed on the ISO’s “Home Page” in order to give notice to the general public.
	When it gave the Commission notice of the delay on December 23, 1997, the ISO informed the Commission that it would file a Revised Staging Plan on or before December 31, 1997.  Upon further review, the ISO has concluded that it is desirable to defer filing the Revised Staging Plan until mid-January in order to allow the ISO an opportunity to review whether other functions for which implementation will be staged should also be deferred as a result of the delay in initial operations.  
						Respectfully submitted,

						______________________________
				      	Fiona Woolf
		Amy S. Koch
			Cameron McKenna LLP
		2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
			Suite 8550
			Washington, D.C. 20006
		Tele:  202-466-0060
			Fax:   202-466-0077

		N. Beth Emery
			General Counsel						California Independent System 					Operator Corporation					151 Blue Ravine Road						Folsom, California  95630					Tele:  916-351-2334						Fax:   916-351-2350

						Counsel for the 
						California Independent System
						Operator Corporation	
Dated: December 30, 1997

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that I have this day served the forgoing ISO Notice upon each person designated on the Official Service List compiled by the Secretary in this proceeding.

Dated at Washington, D.C. on this 30th day of December, 1997.

							___________________________
			 
						Amy S. Koch