Press Release

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Approximately 299,000 PECO residential customers will receive discounted electricity from the New Power Company next year under a plan approved today by the state Public Utility Commission (PUC).

Customers choosing to participate in the program will receive power from New Power beginning in January 2001 and through January 2004. PECO will continue to provide transmission and distribution service.

PUC Communications Manager Kevin Cadden explained that the customers would be randomly selected from those who have not shopped for an alternative supplier under the state’s electric competition program.

"PECO will select customers who have not actively participated in our program," he said. "However, customers have the right to opt out of this program and to return to PECO at any time without a penalty. They may also choose to shop for a supplier other than New Power or PECO."

Today’s action is intended to create more competition in the Philadelphia area by allowing a competitor to provide default service to PECO customers. Customers who do not shop under the state’s electric competition law automatically continue to receive electricity from their local electric company.

The PUC directed PECO in the utility’s 1998 restructuring order and in its merger application with Unicom to develop a plan beginning in 2001 for assigning at least 20 percent of its residential customers to another supplier.

The company asked for competitive bids on the proposal on August 24 and selected New Power on October 3.

For additional press releases or more information on the PUC, visit our website at http://puc.paonline.com.