A MD-80 IN CLB AT FL200 DISCOVERED CTR TANK NOT FEEDING FUEL. FORWARD PUMP CB'S PHASE 'A' AND 'B' TRIPPED. OTHER SYS FED FROM 'A' PHASE ALSO FAILED. RETURNED TO IAH.

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ON CLBOUT FOUND CTR TANK FUEL NOT FEEDING. CONSULTED FLT MANUAL CHKLIST CTR TANK FUEL DOES NOT FEED AND ALSO FOUND 2 OF 3 FUEL PUMP CB'S FOR CTR TANK FUEL FWD PUMP POPPED. COMPLIED WITH CHKLIST AFTER ATTEMPTING ON RESET OF THESE CB'S WHICH POPPED AGAIN. PULLED THE ONE REMAINING CB FOR 'C' PHASE. CONTACTED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH; AND RETURNED TO HOUSTON FOR OVERWT LNDG. A LATER REVIEW OF FLT MANUAL UNDER ELECTRICAL CB POPPED FOUND THAT FUEL PUMP CB'S SHOULD NOT BE RESET. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS OTHER CB'S (WHICH ARE RESETTABLE) POPPED AS WELL; LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THIS WAS AN ELECTRICAL; NOT FUEL PUMP PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROB ON THE L 115V AC 'A' PHASE BUS AS ALL SYS POWERED BY THIS BUS FAILED. THE RPTR STATED THE FORWARD CTR TANK BOOST PUMP HAD TWO BREAKERS TRIPPED 'A' AND 'B' PHASES AND PER THE REFERENCE HANDBOOK ONE RESET WAS ALLOWED; BUT THE BREAKERS AGAIN TRIPPED. THE RPTR SAID MAINT HAS NOT ADVISED THE CREW OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE RPTR STATED THE CREW WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONFLICT BTWN THE REFERENCE HANDBOOK AND THE FLT MANUAL ON RESETTING BOOST PUMP CB'S. THE RPTR SAID THE REFERENCE HANDBOOK ALLOWS ONE RESET OF THE BOOST PUMP CB'S AND THE FLT MANUAL PROHIBITS ANY RESET.