Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. will join the West Shore and Carlisle Area Chambers of Commerce to host a breakfast program on what electricity customer choice will mean to the consumer.

The program, "Deregulation of Electric Utilities: Providing Customers With More Choices," will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 17, at the Holiday Inn, Carlisle, Exit 17 off of Interstate 81. The program is one in a series of seminars involving PP&L throughout Pennsylvania.

The program will consist of a presentation and a question-and-answer session. PP&L presenters will be Don Bernhard, manager of Economic Development and Community Affairs, and Kathy Wildauer, Community Development director for the West Shore area.

"PP&L has been a leading advocate of bringing choice to electricity customers throughout Pennsylvania," Wildauer said. "We are committed to providing customers with the information they need to make educated choices in selecting their electricity supplier. The presentation will provide an opportunity for consumers to learn about this issue."

The state General Assembly passed customer choice legislation last November and Gov. Tom Ridge signed it into law in December. The law phases in customer choice beginning as early as 1999 with about one-third of the state's electric customers. All customers will have choice as early as 2001.

PP&L and other electric utilities in the state will offer customer choice pilot programs to test the concept. The state Public Utility Commission is reviewing the pilot plan proposals. Once approved by the PUC, the pilot programs could begin as early as this summer.

"Both the West Shore and Carlisle Area Chambers of Commerce always have shown a great interest in providing consumers with information on current issues," Wildauer said. "This program is another example of that."

The cost of the breakfast is $8.50. For more information and to register, please call (717) 243-4515