ENERGY

TURN Proposes Electric Deregulation Plan: Toward Utility Rate Normalization, the San Francisco-based consumer advocate group, described an alternative to the California Public Utilities Commission plan to deregulate the state’s investor-owned electric utilities. Under the TURN proposal, local governmental agencies--cities, counties, water districts and similar bodies--would establish “consumer-owned utilities.” These would be much like existing municipal utilities but without generating plants or a distribution system. These local utilities would shop for electricity on the wholesale generating market, pay for distribution on existing utility lines and sell the power to consumers, from residential to big industrial users. The PUC plan calls for a direct retail market for consumers.