NEWS RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C.

Claiborn Crain (202) 720-1263

INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON COMPETITION IN ELECTRIC ENERGY MARKETS REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENTS CONCERNING STUDY MANDATED BY THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005

     WASHINGTON, October 19, 2005--An interagency task force requests comments from the public concerning a study of competition in wholesale and retail electric energy markets required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The task force, comprised of representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Agriculture is to deliver its report to Congress in August 2006.

     A notice from the task force, requesting public comment, was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, October 19, 2005. The notice invites interested parties to respond to questions pertaining to participation in wholesale electricity markets, generation ownership, generation adequacy, transmission investment and regulation, and the transparency and availability of information concerning wholesale electricity markets. The notice also invites responses to questions concerning experiences with retail choice, retail service providers, demand-side participation, and the impacts of changing fuel prices on retail markets.

     The task force will draw upon these responses to prepare a study that will analyze and report to Congress on the critical elements for effective wholesale and retail competition, the status of each element, impediments to realizing each element, and suggestions for overcoming these impediments.

     The members of the task force are:

Michael Bardee, Associate General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
J. Bruce McDonald, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Karen Larsen, Office of Assistant Administrator, Electric Programs, Rural Development Utilities Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture
David Meyer, Deputy Director, Division of Permitting, Siting, and Analysis, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
Michael Wroblewski, Assistant General Counsel for Policy Studies, Federal Trade Commission

     The notice will also be posted on the websites of the participating agencies. The website addresses are:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; http://www.ferc.gov
U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov
U.S. Department of Agriculture: http://www.usda.gov/rus/electric/competition/index.htm
U.S. Department of Energy: http://electricity.doe.gov
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov

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