1.   Although deregulation and increased competition presents a tougher market for many municipal utilities, some bond investors remain optimistic about the prospects of their debt.

2.   And there is historical precedent for not subjecting municipal utilities to state regulation, since the municipal utilities are already regulated locally.

3.   Another area of contention is whether municipal utilities can be compelled to join commercial suppliers in signing long-term contracts.

4.   Customers of municipal utilities in Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale and the Imperial Valley were not affected by the threat.

5.   Despite worries that municipal utilities are out of their depth in information technology, Harlan residents so far see only benefits.

6.   Federal law also requires the regulated utilities to transmit the power that the independents sell to wholesale customers like municipal utilities.

7.   For municipal utilities and the holders of their tax-exempt debt, neither choice is particularly attractive.

8.   He is representing the American Public Power Association, a coalition of municipal utilities that want special tax relief because of changes brought by deregulation.

9.   He worked for municipal utilities.

10.   In addition, Northeast last year signed up six municipal utilities in Massachusetts to buy bulk power previously supplied by Boston Edison Co. and New England Electric.