Press Release

• PECO – Wednesday, Nov. 18, 1998
• PP&L – Monday, Nov. 30, 1998
• Duquesne Light – Monday, Nov. 30, 1998
• UGI – Monday, Nov. 30, 1998
• Penn Power – Monday, Nov. 30, 1998
• GPU – Tuesday, Dec. 1, 1998

    Customers of Allegheny Power must still make a selection by the Monday, Nov. 16, deadline for savings to begin in January.

    "The PUC established the Nov. 16 deadline so customers would be guaranteed that their savings would begin in January 1999," said PUC Chairman John Quain. "Some utilities, however, have said they can receive customer information at a later date and still process it for January delivery. This is an added benefit to those customers because it gives them some extra time to review their options and select a supplier."

    Under the PUC designated date, customers who choose an electric generation supplier by Monday, Nov. 16, will receive savings beginning in January 1999. The switch will occur with the first meter reading in January, with savings reflected in the following month’s bill. Customers selecting suppliers between Nov. 17 and Dec. 31 will be switched on the date of the first meter reading in February 1999.

    As a result of today’s announcement, customers of the companies listed above now have additional time to make a selection and see savings begin in January. If customers select a supplier after the new date but before Dec. 31, their savings will begin in February 1999. Generally, it takes about 45 days from the time a customer selects a new supplier for the actual switch to occur.

    Quain said the PUC is encouraging early sign-ups so customers can save money starting in January. But it doesn’t mean that customers who don’t make a selection by these dates will be left out of the program.

    "A customer may decide to select a new supplier at any time," he said. "The savings would just begin at a later date. This is on-going and we still have many slots available for residential customers."

    Currently, about 2 million customers have enrolled in the Pennsylvania Electric Choice program. The threshold for 1999 is about 3 million. Customers can sign up by contacting their electric distribution company or by enrolling directly through a generation supplier.

    For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet home page: http://puc.paonline.com. Additional information on electric competition can be found at www.electrichoice.com or by calling 888-PUC-FACT.