[Archived] Public Forum Planned for Energy Deregulation

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Darryl Edwards
October 26, 2001 Office of Consumer Affairs
(703) 838-4350

Public Forum Planned for Energy Deregulation

If you use electricity, you’ll want to be at Minnie Howard School on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. for a public forum entitled, "Virginia Electricity Deregulation: Are You Ready?" The forum is co-sponsored by the City of Alexandria and the Alexandria Consumer Affairs Commission.

Electricity deregulation is coming to Virginia in January 2002. This means Virginians will have a choice of electricity suppliers for the first time. The serious problems that followed deregulation in California are well known. The Consumer Affairs Commission organized this forum as part of its community outreach program.

The program features a welcome by Mayor Kerry J. Donley, and consists of two panel discussions with audience participation. Commissioner Martha Harris will serve as moderator. According to Ms. Harris, "Consumers need to learn about Virginia's approach so that they can make informed decisions."

The first panel is entitled, "Why Deregulation? What's Changing?" Speakers are Kenneth Schrad, David A. Koogler and Robert Schnapp. Kenneth Schrad is Director of Information Resources at the State Corporation Commission, the state agency responsible for the deregulation process. David Koogler is Project Director for Billing and Customer Choice for Dominion Virginia Power, the electricity supplier for Alexandrians under the current regulated system. Robert Schnapp is Director of the Electric Power Division in the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The second panel will address, "Consumer Choices: What are the Options?", and feature Irene Leech, Bill Lukhard and Steve Sinclair. Irene Leech is President of the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council and an Associate Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Bill Lukhard is the Chairman of the Advisory Board to the Legislative Task Force on Electric Utility Deregulation and a former Commissioner of Social Services for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Steve Sinclair is a utility analyst in Fairfax County's Consumer Protection Division, and is highly regarded around Northern Virginia for his expertise on this issue.

A question and answer session will follow each panel.

For more information, call Darryl Edwards, Consumer Affairs Investigator, Office of Consumer Affairs, (703) 838-4350.