81.   Petersen argued that the BPU agreement, which includes a promise to pay the money with interest or buy power from the BPU, constitutes repayment.

82.   Reliant revoked the sale after disclosing that it had bought power from another company while simultaneously selling the same amount back to the other company.

83.   Public Service also wants the state to change the rules that require it to buy power from other producers at above-market rates.

84.   Residential and smaller commercial customers have had little voice in the process, and few have chosen to buy power from the new unregulated suppliers.

85.   Rising stock prices are increasing the wealth and buying power of millions of people.

86.   Ruskin points out that during that same period, family income for most American families stagnated or went down in buying power.

87.   So far, however, only a few utilities have allowed some industrial customers to buy power directly from competitors, and in limited ways.

88.   States across the country are deregulating the electricity business, requiring utilities to sell or spin off their power plants and buy power in the open market.

89.   Some states, including California, are considering allowing customers to bypass their local utilities and buy power directly from outsiders.

90.   That deregulation is expected to offer most users the option to bypass the local utility and buy power from competing producers.