Press Release

TORONTO, Ontario -- Marking "Opening Day" for electric competition in Ontario, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) Chairman Glen R. Thomas today highlighted ways Pennsylvanians have benefited from electric competition, and offered advice to Canadian utility, government and business representatives as they follow Pennsylvania’s lead in working to develop open markets.

"In 2002, Pennsylvania is a leader and certainly better off than we were five years ago," said Chairman Thomas, who gave the keynote address as part of the Economic Club of Toronto’s U.S. Power Series. "Competition is improving Pennsylvania as a place to live and work. Consumers have more choices, and technology is advancing at a rapid pace.

"And today -- Opening Day for electric competition in Ontario -- you can look at our past five years as potential for your next five years."

Chairman Thomas cited the following benefits of competition for Pennsylvanians: more jobs; more and cleaner power plants; wind farms and the popularity of buying green power; less intrusive government through a more competitive marketplace; more consumer empowerment through education and Demand Side Response; and milestones in reliability.

Mark Adler, Director of the Economic Club of Toronto, said "Pennsylvania is the deregulation success story. One jurisdiction after another has modeled their deregulation regime after Pennsylvania’s. It is the model for competition."

The Chairman said Ontario should look to its World Series-winning baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays, for inspiration for electric competition.

"Today, I wish Ontario luck as you celebrate Opening Day for electric competition," Chairman Thomas said. "And I return to my other favorite subject to offer a few words of encouragement. You first need to put the right rules of the game in place. You will learn as you go. Like the Blue Jays’ first few games of the season, electric competition will be a roller-coaster ride. Keep your eye on winning in October. A loss does not mean electric competition is a failed concept if not everything goes exactly right.

"The most important lesson is learned by Toronto’s baseball fans. They have faith in their team that this season will be a successful one. Proponents of electric competition should do the same. Never lose faith in the market."