Legislation prescribing voluntary unbundling of Colorado’s gasdistribution industry has now gone to a state House appropriationscommittee. The sponsor of SB 153, Sen. David T. Owen, said heexpects it to pass with little or no trouble. Unlike legislationthat unbundled Georgia’s gas industry, the Colorado legislationdoes not delve into specifics of unbundling but rather leaves themup to the state Public Utility Commission (PUC).

“Our perspective on the legislation is we’re in favor of it,”said Public Service of Colorado spokesman Mark Salley. “It’s acontinuation of a gas deregulation effort last year that wesupported.” He said he did not know when Public Service wouldchoose to open its system to competition.

Potentially contentious issues, such as capacity assignment,provider of last resort and whether LDCs should be forced to exitthe merchant function, will have to be hammered out by the PUC. Oneconcern that was dealt with in the Senate was a provision thatwould allow some municipal utilities to keep from public eyesinformation deemed to be sensitive from a competitive standpoint.The bill was amended to require a public hearing to determine whichmunicipal utility records could be closed.

Joe Fisher, Houston

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