A new coalition of 82 varied organizations (em including businesses, consumers, environmentalists, and utilities (em has announced support for the California Public Utility Commission's (CPUC's) majority proposal to restructure the electric industry. [On May 24, three CPUC commissioners proposed reform based on pooled wholesale electricity.] In a joint statement, the coalition said its members "encourage the CPUC, the California State Legislature, the Governor's Office, and the FERC [Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] to work together to endorse the vision of this proposed decision." The coalition said the proposal would enable all customers to benefit from a competitive market at the same time, providing the basis for long-term industry reform. It added that the PUC proposal is consistent with the policies and principles the FERC is pursuing. Bill Reed, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) division manager, said SDG&E supports pooling because it will provide equity for customers and shareholders: "It also creates a competitive generation market that will improve the efficiency of the electric system and will lead over time to lower energy costs for California."
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