Rep. Camille "Bud" George (D-Clearfield), Majority Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, will hold a second public hearing March 26 on legislation that would extend utility generation rate caps by two years.

The hearing is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. at the Ramada Conference Center in Altoona.

"The hearing will focus on Special Session House Bill 54, which would extend rate-cap protection for two years to residential, commercial and industrial customers of PPL, First Energy and PECO," said Rep. George. "Deregulation did not lower prices, and no one should swallow the utility commercials that imply that competition will bring lower or even stable electric prices."

Tentatively scheduled to testify are: Stephen L. Feld, associate general counsel, FirstEnergy Corp.; Richard Hudson Jr., state chairman, Retail Energy Supply Association;

David Hughes, Executive Director, Citizen Power; Michael Messer, Industrial Energy Consumers of Pennsylvania; and Aldie Warnock, vice president/external affairs, Allegheny Energy Inc.

Under Special Session House Bill 54, utilities could seek rate-cap relief annually when they show significant changes in their costs. During the rate-cap extension, energy would be secured to ensure reliable service at the lowest, reasonable rates through a portfolio of long-term, short-term and spot market purchases that meet alternative-energy requirements.

"We must implement policies now that buffer Pennsylvania citizens and businesses from volatile electricity prices and prevent disastrous, double-digit rate increases," Rep. George said.

3/21/2008