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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Bryan Lentz
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Lentz praises passage of energy conservation, cost-cutting plan
HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – State Rep. Bryan R. Lentz, D-Delaware, praised the passage of a bill (H.B. 2200) that would reduce electricity use and lower consumer utility costs. The bill was approved today by the General Assembly and is awaiting the governor’s signature into law.
"We needed to act quickly now that electric rate caps are set to expire, which is expected to send utility bills skyrocketing," Lentz said. "We are amidst terrible economic times -- with unemployment on the rise, the cost of health care increasing and retirement savings plunging in the stock market --the last thing working families and retirees need is a dramatic increase in energy costs.
"This measure would help consumers conserve energy and also use energy during times when it is cheaper. We had to act swiftly to head off the predicted double-digit percent utility price increases, and I believe this bill is good start to that end."
House Bill 2200 would give consumers three choices of how to be billed for their electricity:
· Traditional average rate plan, where the consumer pays the same cost regardless of when energy is used;
· Peak and off-peak rate plan, where customers are charged depending on what time of day they use energy;
· Real-time pricing, which passes the actual cost of energy every hour to the consumer so they can benefit by consuming in the hours when costs are lowest.
House Bill 2200 requires "least cost" purchasing by utilities so customers don't foot the bill for bad energy-purchasing decisions by utilities. It requires electric utilities to submit to the Public Utility Commission a conservation plan by July 2009, and requires utilities to work with customers to cut energy use by 1 percent by 2011 and 3 percent by 2013.
"Our country is in crisis mode," Lentz said. "One simple way Pennsylvanians can help themselves and our increasingly debilitating dependence on energy is to conserve. Less can be more. This plan helps Pennsylvanians take back some control on their energy costs."