A survey of New Hampshire participants in its electric competition pilot program illustrates the need for a comprehensive public education effort in conjunction with the restructuring of the electric industry in our states. The survey shows that one-third of respondents found advertising unfair or deceptive, and competing offers from power suppliers too confusing. Over 87% agreed that power suppliers should provide consumers with comparable information in a standardized format about such items as fuel mix, contract length, and emissions. With these findings in mind, a regional approach to public education about electric industry restructuring makes sense because:

• We share a regional media market, in which competing and contradictory terms could cause massive consumer confusion.
   
• The adoption of common terms, concepts, and education messages could smooth the transition and promote an informed public.
   
• Regional cooperation such as the sharing of focus group and customer feedback, development of written materials, fill-in-the blank public service announcements, and in-depth technical materials will leverage state resources and enhance our public education capabilities.

CONEG’s Energy Working Group is an ideal forum in which to explore the potential of a regional public education effort. The CONEG Governors direct the Energy Working Group to examine the issues and report back to the Governors about the feasibility and possible scope of such an effort at the next Governors’ meeting.

Adopted: October 1, 1997