(A) Upon determining under section 4928.39 of the Revised Code the allowable transition costs of an electric utility authorized for collection as transition revenues under sections 4928.31 to 4928.40 of the Revised Code, the public utilities commission, by order under section 4928.33 of the Revised Code, shall establish the transition charge for each customer class of the electric utility and, to the extent possible, each rate schedule within each such customer class, with all such transition charges being collected as provided in division (A)(1)(b) of section 4928.37 of the Revised Code during a market development period for the utility, ending on such date as the commission shall reasonably prescribe. The market development period shall end on December 31, 2005, unless otherwise authorized under division (B)(2) of this section. However, the commission may set the utility’s recovery of the revenue requirements associated with regulatory assets, as established pursuant to section 4928.39 of the Revised Code, to end not later than December 31, 2010. The commission shall not permit the creation or amortization of additional regulatory assets without notice and an opportunity to be heard through an evidentiary hearing and shall not increase the charge recovering such revenue requirements associated with regulatory assets.

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Factors the commission shall consider in prescribing the expiration date of the utility’s market development period and the transition charge for each customer class and rate schedule of the utility include, but are not limited to, the total allowable amount of transition costs of the electric utility as determined under section 4928.39 of the Revised Code; the relevant market price for the delivered supply of electricity to customers in that customer class and, to the extent possible, in each rate schedule as determined by the commission; and such shopping incentives by customer class as are considered necessary to induce, at the minimum, a twenty per cent load switching rate by customer class halfway through the utility’s market development period but not later than December 31, 2003. In no case shall the commission establish a shopping incentive in an amount exceeding the unbundled component for retail electric generation service set in the utility’s approved transition plan under section 4928.33 of the Revised Code, and in no case shall the commission establish a transition charge in an amount less than zero.

(B)(1) The commission may conduct a periodic review no more often than annually and, as it determines necessary, adjust the transition charges of the electric utility as initially established under division (A) of this section or subsequently adjusted under this division. Any such adjustment shall be in accordance with division (A) of this section and may reflect changes in the relevant market.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, the market development period shall not end earlier than December 31, 2005, unless, upon application by an electric utility, the commission issues an order authorizing such earlier date for one or more customer classes as is specified in the order, upon a demonstration by the utility and a finding by the commission of either of the following:

(a) There is a twenty per cent switching rate of the utility’s load by the customer class.

(b) Effective competition exists in the utility’s certified territory.

(C) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue an order under section 4928.33 of the Revised Code approving a transition plan for an electric utility that contains a rate reduction for residential customers of that utility, provided that the rate reduction shall not increase the rates or transition cost responsibility of any other customer class of the utility. The rate reduction shall be in effect only for such portion of the utility’s market development period as the commission shall specify and shall be applied to the unbundled generation component for retail electric generation service as set in the utility’s approved transition plan under section 4928.33 of the Revised Code subject to the price cap for residential customers required under division (A)(6) of section 4928.34 of the Revised Code. The amount of the rate reduction shall be five per cent of the amount of that unbundled generation component, but shall not unduly discourage market entry by alternative suppliers seeking to serve the residential market in this state. The commission, after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing, may terminate the rate reduction by order upon a finding that the rate reduction is unduly discouraging market entry by such alternative suppliers. No such termination of the rate reduction shall take effect prior to the midpoint of the utility’s market development period.

(D) Beginning on the starting date of competitive retail electric service, no electric utility in this state shall prohibit the resale of electric generation service or impose unreasonable or discriminatory conditions or limitations on the resale of electric generation service.

(E) Notwithstanding any provision of Title XLIX of the Revised Code to the contrary, any customer that receives a noncompetitive retail electric service from an electric distribution utility shall be a retail electric distribution service customer, irrespective of the voltage level at which service is taken.