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ENRON FILES REBUTTAL TESTIMONY; ENHANCES CHOICE PLAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, November 12, 1997
HARRISBURG, PA - Enron today filed with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rebuttal testimony which includes enhancements to the Enron Choice Plan, further improving the benefits the proposal offers to Southeastern Pennsylvania electricity consumers.
"Enron is attempting to create a competitive market for the benefit of consumers, while Peco is spending millions of dollars on negative advertising and filing hundreds of pages of testimony in an attempt to misdirect attention from the central purpose of the Competition Act," said Steven J. Kean, Enron Corp. senior vice president of government affairs.
"Competition cannot be 'settled away' by Peco. Competition is the prerequisite for stranded cost recovery. The Enron Choice Plan sets forth the rules for a competitive market and provides for stranded cost recovery. It is, therefore, the only proposal before the Commission which complies with the Competition Act."
In addition to rebutting Peco's testimony, the filing includes the following enhancements which bring even more value to Southeastern Pennsylvania consumers and address concerns raised by various parties:
A contingency plan - superior to Peco's - guaranteeing rate reductions in the event securitization is delayed or prevented by legal impediment.
Under the Choice Plan, securitization of Peco's stranded costs will result in 20 percent savings on electricity beginning September 1, 1998. Now Enron has also proposed to provide discounts and pro-competitive terms even if securitization is delayed. Enron has filed a modification of the Choice Plan that would give consumers rate reductions which are more than double those proposed in Peco's fall back case.
Establishing increased generation credits to promote even greater competitive benefits in the later years of the Choice Plan.
Numerous parties have projected market prices for electricity in the later years of both proposals. While no one can agree precisely what generation market prices will be, a reasonable range has been established. The amended generation credits proposed by Enron fall within this range, address the various parties' concerns about stimulating competition, and work even while providing full stranded cost recovery and double the rate reductions proposed by Peco. As an illustration, generation credits in the original Choice Plan ranged from $0.0372 per kilowatt hour in 2003 to $0.0416 per kilowatt hour in 2008. In the amended Choice Plan, the credits range from $0.0389 per kilowatt hour to $0.0452 per kilowatt hour, respectively, for the same time periods.
Lowering stranded cost recovery charges in the later years of the Choice Plan.
Stranded cost recovery charges in the later years of the amended Choice Plan will be reduced by a range of five percent to 12 percent between 2003 and 2008.
Accelerating termination of stranded cost charges.
Enron's Choice Plan has been revised to reflect a 120 month collection of stranded cost charges, rather than 124 months. Shortening the collection of even lower stranded cost charges delivers further real benefits to Southeastern Pennsylvania consumers.
Eliminating certain conditions in the Choice Plan objectionable to various parties.
In response to constructive criticism, Enron has modified or eliminated certain conditions pertaining to the Choice Plan including removal of the condition that Enron reserves the right at any time to withdraw the Choice Plan, provided such right shall continue, as it does for Peco with respect to the Partial Settlement, if the Commission approves the Choice Plan with any modification or amendment not agreed to by Enron.
Enron makes the preceding enhancements while doubling Peco's proposed rate reductions, establishing a truly competitive market as required by the Competition Act, and compensating Peco fully for its $5.46 billion in stranded costs.
"By this filing, Enron rebuts Peco's testimony and demonstrates its willingness to amend portions of its plan in order to address both the interests of consumers and various parties," said Kean. "In contrast, Peco has dug in its heels and sticks to a far inferior proposal for the consumers of Southeastern Pennsylvania."
Enron's rebuttal testimony is available from the Commission, or at the following internet address: www.enron.com/corp/pressroom/releases/1997/rebuttal.html
Enron Corp., one of the world's largest integrated natural gas and electricity companies with approximately $21 billion in assets, operates one of the largest natural gas transmission systems in the world; is the largest marketer of natural gas and electricity in North America; is a leading participant in liberalized energy markets in the United Kingdom and the Nordic Countries; markets natural gas liquids worldwide; manages the largest portfolio of fixed-price natural gas risk management contracts in the world; is among the leading entities arranging new capital to the energy industry; owns a majority interest in Enron Oil & Gas Company, one of the largest independent (non-integrated) exploration and production companies in the United States; owns a majority interest in Enron Global Power & Pipelines L.L.C., which is owner and manager of operating power plants and natural gas pipelines around the world; is one of the largest independent developers and producers of electricity in the world; and is a major supplier of solar and wind energy worldwide. Enron's internet address is www.enron.com and its common stock is traded under the ticker symbol, "ENE."
For additional information please contact:
Mark Palmer
(713) 853-4738
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