Fortnightly Magazine - August 1997

Competition Stymied in Illinois, Oregon

Bills that would have restructured electric markets in Illinois and Oregon have died due to lack of support.

A bill, H.B. 2821, which would have opened the Oregon electric market to competition by October 2001, has died in the Oregon House, lacking the 31 votes needed for passage. Meanwhile, the Illinois Senate has decided to postpone until the fall its deliberations on the state's proposed electric restructuring bill, which has the approval of the Illinois House of Representatives.

Industrial customers and consumer groups supported the Oregon bill.

Byline: 
Lori A. Burkhart
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LDC Recovers Coal Tar Cleanup Costs

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has authorized Northern Utilities Inc. to recover coal-tar cleanup costs via a special surcharge.

Under a settlement agreement, ratepayers will pay the full amount of cleanup costs incurred by the LDC on a rolling five-year amortization schedule. The costs will be capped at 4 percent of the company's annual adjusted total firm revenues from sales and transportation customers. Shareholders will bear the carrying costs on all deferred balances during the amortization schedule.

Byline: 
Phillip S. Cross
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