Maryland Senate Votes to Eliminate Customer Choice in Electricity Suppliers
01 Abril 2009 - 11:52PM
PR Newswire (US)
ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Exelon Generation
(NYSE: EXC), a major electricity supplier to this region, expressed
its extreme disappointment that the Maryland Senate has voted to
end electric choice for homeowners and small businesses. The vote
came despite universal agreement that this legislative proposal
will not lower customer electricity bills. "Unfortunately, the
Senate has hastily decided that Maryland should return to an
inefficient and high cost monopoly model," said Jan Freeman, vice
president, Government Affairs for Exelon Generation. "This bill
includes yet another tax for Marylanders they can't afford or
tolerate. An energy tax - or the 'non-bypassable surcharge' - will
be levied on all ratepayers to pay for energy they may never even
use. "Under this proposal, you will see power plant cost overruns,
gross inefficiencies, and consumers who won't have a choice in the
matter," he added. "Giving government a mandate and blank check to
charge consumers for new construction without considering lower
cost options is a recipe for financial disaster." Exelon Generation
operates the Conowingo Hydroelectric Station in Darlington, Md.
Exelon Corporation is one of the nation's largest electric
utilities with approximately $19 billion in annual revenues. The
company has one of the industry's largest portfolios of electricity
generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions
in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to
approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and
southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 485,000
customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in
Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC. DATASOURCE:
Exelon Generation CONTACT: Beth Archer, +1-215-219-2300, or Merrie
Street, +1-610-755-1199, both of Exelon Generation
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