Chuck Jones, CEO of FirstEnergy, owner of distribution utilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as Ohio, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he would re-regulate Ohio in a "heartbeat."

Jones was a bit more circumspect in a discussion with the Akron Beacon Journal, but the sentiments remained the same.

While Jones' comments were directed at Ohio, we see no difference between the company's position in Ohio and Pennsylvania (where FirstEnergy also owns merchant plants) that would make us feel comfortable that the company doesn't support re-regulation everywhere it operates

We wonder if this is what the Pennsylvania PUC envisioned when it controversially, in a 3-2 vote, allowed FirstEnergy to acquire West Penn Power, creating the state's dominant utility.

Of course, the PUC, in approving that merger, assured the competitive supply community that concerns regarding FirstEnergy's approach to competition would be addressed in a generic retail market improvement proceeding.

We know how that turned out