Oklahoma Deregulation Delay Dead for Year

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Oklahoma Deregulation Delay Dead for Year

LCG, March 13, 2001—A measure that would have delayed the introduction of a competitive electricity market in Oklahoma from July 1, 2002 to no sooner that Jan. 1, 2004, is dead for this year, according to its author, Democrat state Rep. Larry Price.

Rice said yesterday he had returned his bill to the Oklahoma House Utility Regulation Committee after a 50-46 floor vote for an amendment that was attached to give the state Corporation Commission the authority to pass deregulation rules and orders without prior legislative consent.

"Fundamentally, I just couldn't accept that amendment," Rice said, pointing out that the issue was whether electric restructuring was the province of the legislature of the Corporation Commission.

The move to delay electric industry restructuring in Oklahoma was a response to the post- deregulation problems in California. As it is, restructuring will begin July 1, 2002, and with it an electric rate freeze will be lifted.

Rural, residential and small commercial customers have felt they will fare better if the legislature is in control of deregulation, which industrial and large commercial customers prefer to let the regulators handle it..

http://www.energyonline.com/news/articles/c13-2ok.asp

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), March 14, 2001


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