Press Release

HARRISBURG, Pa. – It’s back-to-school time for the Pennsylvania Electric Choice Program (PECP).

As part of the continuing effort to teach consumers how to shop for their electric generation supplier, the PECP this week distributed "Achievers 2000" posters to middle school teachers throughout Pennsylvania.

"Achievers 2000" presents profiles of men and women who have played an important role in the history of energy and technology. The poster also teaches students about how energy is produced and tests their knowledge about energy and electricity. Included among these features are lessons on how to shop for electricity in Pennsylvania’s newly deregulated electricity marketplace.

"The poster is an educational tool to connect with our youth about the important role electricity plays in their lives," said Commissioner Aaron Wilson, Jr. of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). "It is also a great way to enhance our educational efforts to reach the community at large. As a former educator myself, I know that students will take these lessons home and discuss them with their parents." Commissioner Wilson is a former principal and superintendent of schools in Chester.

The front half of the two-sided poster shows a map of Pennsylvania as a backdrop to profiles of prominent achievers who have made important contributions to the development of energy and technology in Pennsylvania and the nation. They include:

• Luis Walter Alvarez, a Nobel physicist and inventor;
• Thomas Alva Edison, whose inventions included the electric light;
• Lewis H. Lattimer, who helped develop the first street lighting systems;
• Garrett A. Morgan, who invented traffic lights and gas masks;
• Ellen Ochoa, the first female Hispanic astronaut;
• Phillip V. Stevens, a Native American inventor;
• An Wang, who invented the electronic computer memory system; and
• Granville T. Woods, whose 150 patented inventions include 35 in the fields of electricity and electromagnetics.

The second side of the poster contains academic puzzles and quizzes, which help teachers and students learn about the key elements and terminology involved in Pennsylvania’s newly restructured electric utility system. The poster, which also provides useful information about careers in energy and technology, are designed for grades 5-8.

The PECP consumer education program began in June 1998 to prepare Pennsylvania electricity consumers for competition in electric generation, which took effect in January 1999. The PUC and the local electric distribution companies throughout Pennsylvania are conducting a three-year education program to help consumers understand the new system and how to participate in it.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Electric Choice Program, consumers should call their local electric distribution company or dial 1-888-PUC-FACT (782-3228) or visit the PECP web site at www.electrichoice.com, which is accessible to persons who are visually impaired.