Entergy Announces Support of Bill to Provide Relief to Pension System
October 29 2009 - 1:36PM
PR Newswire (US)
Pomeroy-Tiberi Proposal Protects Pensions, Preserves Jobs NEW
ORLEANS, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Entergy Corporation
(NYSE: ETR) Executive Vice President Curt L. Hebert today announced
the company's support for federal legislation to provide some
relief to businesses facing significant increases in mandatory
pension contributions next year. Pension plans across the nation
were hit hard by the stock market collapse, so businesses must
increase their contributions to their plans, putting additional
financial strain on firms already struggling in tough economic
conditions. A bill by U.S. Reps. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) and Pat
Tiberi (R-Ohio) would extend the time period for employers to
recover their 2008 investment losses from the current seven years
to either nine years or 15 years. Hebert issued the following
statement: "This legislation would provide much needed optionality
for American business. Financial market fluctuations in the past
year have given rise to greater need by business to possess the
ability to use cash for capital projects instead of short-term
recovery pension investments that can easily be met if the market
is given time to adjust. Those markets should be given an
opportunity for recovery and not negatively impact business
decisions on capital project investment that could provide more
jobs." Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged
primarily in electric power production and retail distribution
operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with
approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and
it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States.
Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual
revenues of more than $13 billion and approximately 14,700
employees. Entergy's online address is http://www.entergy.com/
DATASOURCE: Entergy Corporation CONTACT: Michael Burns of Entergy
Corporation, office, +1-504-576-4352, Web Site:
http://www.entergy.com/
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