1.   As part of the acquisition, Bay State said it will propose a natural gas rate freeze for its customers in Massachusetts, Main and new Hampshire.

2.   Because of a rate freeze, the utility, which focuses mainly on distribution of electricity, has been unable to pass along its rising costs to customers.

3.   Because of the current rate freeze, the two utilities have been unable to pass along sky-high wholesale power costs to customers.

4.   Birmingham has, until now, advocated a rate freeze and has consistently rejected calls by Weld and the House for an immediate cut.

5.   A bankruptcy judge could order an end to the current rate freeze and demand higher rates for consumers.

6.   But critics call the proposed four-year rate freeze a sham.

7.   But the rate freeze ends for San Diego Gas and Electric customers this autumn.

8.   But there would be a rate freeze for the first four years and then hearings would set new rates.

9.   Eguiagaray said that the rate freeze took into account the effects of the recent overhaul of the way the government calculates electricity tariffs.

10.   Federal Communications Commission chairman William Kennard said his agency will launch a study into why cable television rates keep rising, though he envisions no cable rate freeze soon.