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Session: State Capitol, Room 24 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Toll Free: (800) 773-4968 Phone: (907) 465-4968 Fax: (907) 465-2040 Send E-Mail Interim: 716 W 4th, Suite 640 Anchorage, AK 99501-2133 Phone: (907) 269-0117 Fax: (907) 269-0119 |
For Immediate Release: February 8, 1999
Contact: Representative Norman Rokeberg at (907) 465-4968.
Juneau -- Representative Norman Rokeberg (R-Anchorage) Friday introduced a bill which provides consumer protection for electrical users when retail competition is instituted in Alaska.
"During the Electric Utility Restructuring hearing held this past summer and fall, one of the things that I found most important was protection of consumers as the utilities moved into competition" Rokeberg said. "House Bill 81 provides some basic protections for consumers by directing the APUC to establish consumer protection standards, licensing requirements, procedures for complaint resolution, minimum safety standards, and service criteria and penalties."
Other states which have adopted legislation permitting electric utility competition have instituted similar standards.
"While this bill will only go into effect if retail competition for electric service is put in place, I think we need to start a dialogue now about the impacts of any utility restructuring on the consumer." Rokeberg said.
Rokeberg served as Co-Chairman of the Joint Task Force on Electric Utility Restructuring. He is a member of the House Special Committee on Utility Restructuring and Chairman of the House Labor and Commerce Committee.
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