Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b).

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Even many opponents of privatisation admitted that the level of service from utility companies often seemed to improve once ownership passed out of public hands.

BBC: Wales politics

In 1988, Public Service Company of New Hampshire became the first American utility since the Depression to go bankrupt, mostly because of the unexpected costs of a nuclear plant.

ECONOMIST: Boom

Instead of pointing out that the Corporation is the only public service utility that works efficiently and is held in universal respect, you asked questions that were bound to bring it into disrespect.

BBC: [an error occurred while processing this directive]

In that regard, utility deals need approval from the public service commissions of each jurisdiction in which the combined entity is to do business, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.

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It ran at 90% of capacity in 2008, according to the Energy Information Administration, and Central Vermont Public Service says it's the most reliable source of power the utility has access to.

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Earlier this month, Debbie Dooley, another co-founder of the Atlanta Tea Party, urged the state's elected utility regulators on the Public Service Commission, all Republicans, to force Georgia Power to use more solar energy.

NPR: Tea Party Targeting Southern Co. Power Monopoly