Edison power-choice plans filed

COLUMBUS - FirstEnergy Corp. and the Ohio Consumers' Counsel separately filed plans yesterday with state regulators that would enable customers to choose alternative power suppliers in Toledo Edison's territories and two others areas served by FirstEnergy.

The plans were submitted in response to a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling that rejected some of the electric rate plan approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

The company proposed a framework to allow other firms to submit prices to supply electricity for a portion each territory. If the plan is approved, customers could switch to alternative power or keep FirstEnergy's plan, which is approved through 2008.

Under the Consumers' Counsel plan, a voluntary enrollment would be set up listing customers interested in switching suppliers. Competitive bids would be solicited for the group, but a supplier would have to meet or beat FirstEnergy's rates.

A winning bidder would start to supply power Jan. 1, and the contract would run through 2008.