About 5,000 people remained without power today, said Pat Nichols, a spokeswoman for the major electric supplier in the area, Texas Utilities.

This makes USACE the fifth largest electric supplier in the United States.

The challenge had been brought by a coalition of environmental groups and a small electric supplier that markets power from windmills.

All three companies lobbied heavily throughout the deregulation process, and derided shopping credits as nothing more than a subsidy for upstart electric suppliers.

They have a huge, bulk contract with Canadian electric suppliers coming up, and the New Haven-to-Boston project would be a hungry bulk user.

Britain already allows many customers to choose their electric suppliers, as American customers will be able to do in the next few years in some states.

On Nov. 1, 70 percent of the state's residents and businesses will be free to choose their electric supplier for service starting Jan. 1.

Some businesses, like Mr. Notaro's, contracted directly with electric suppliers.

He said 708,000 residential customers in Pennsylvania have switched electric suppliers since that state deregulated.

By the way, where was the rest of the business community when our only electric supplier was being given away?