1. One of the cost-cutting measures that that the company is examining is to share the installation costs with the other utilities. 2. The only difference between railways and the other utilities is that they are precieved to be costing the exchequer money, not providing revenue to it. 3. Because of the current rate freeze, the two utilities have been unable to pass along sky-high wholesale power costs to customers. 4. But as details of the settlement emerged, some critics of the merger said the two utilities got more than assurances. 5. But even as the other utilities gained independent real estate, the redundancy remained to accommodate old software. 6. But executives of the two utilities said no decision had been made. 7. Can there even be a legitimate comparison if the two utilities are serving their customers on separate and distinct playing fields? 8. David Marshall, the president and chief executive of DQE, said that by combining, the two utilities would be able to reduce rates faster. 9. Industry insiders speculated that the two utilities put together the deal fearing a possible hostile takeover by rival Western Resources Inc., the largest utility in Kansas. 10. Most of the other utilities, however, opted to fight their cases. |