21.   The commission acted only on the first year of the Lilco plan, approving the rate freeze with some modifications.

22.   The legislation introduced Wednesday would go beyond a limited rate freeze approved by the Public Utilities Commission on Monday.

23.   The New York-based regional Bell operating company said it will try to offset the revenue decrease from the rate freeze by cutting costs and entering new markets.

24.   The rate freeze is important because it allows the utilities to keep rates at an artificially high level.

25.   The rate freeze will end next year.

26.   The utilities are prevented by a rate freeze from passing along expenses to customers.

27.   The utilities, beset with a rate freeze, have been unable to pass on to customers whopping rates charged by suppliers.

28.   A rate freeze would be in effect for at least five years, PECO said.

29.   A rate freeze has blocked utilities from passing on higher wholesale costs to their customers.

30.   A rate freeze imposed as the state phases in deregulation has blocked them from passing on higher wholesale costs to their customers.