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COLUMN |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Mike Carroll |
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To: Editor, Pocono Living
From: State Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Luzerne/Monroe
RE: Bill to help residents save on utility costs goes to governor
Oct. 14, 2008
The certainty of significantly higher energy bills when rate caps expire in the next two years has Pennsylvanians worried about how to pay for their household energy use. The legislature has responded by sending to the governor a bill I voted for that will help consumers reduce their electricity use and slow the increase in consumer utility costs.
House Bill 2200 will reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses by reducing overall energy use. It requires a 1 percent reduction in overall power output by 2011 and a 3 percent reduction by 2013. Utility companies will need to implement an energy conservation plan, to be overseen by the state's Public Utility Commission, by July 2009.
The legislation also requires companies to install smart meters at residences and businesses upon the owner's request over the next 15 years, and offer customers different billing options to help them save money. Customers could pay the same cost regardless of when energy is used; pay a peak rate and an off-peak rate, with cost gauged by the time of day; or employ real-time pricing and pay the actual cost of the energy used.
This is a good bill that will offer us some relief from increased energy bill costs through the billing options while also helping to reduce costs by encouraging energy conservation.
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