The Consumer Advocate is welcoming a governmental review of the Public Utilities Act.

Minister John Hogan announced on Friday that the review would begin early in the new year.

That’s the Act which covers the Public Utilities Board, the agency which regulates automobile insurance, ambulances, electricity rates and the price of fuel.

Advocate Dennis Browne hopes the review puts an end to what he calls the outdated cost-of-service system regarding electricity rates. Many regulators in Canada have already moved away from that system and into performance-based regulation which he believes will be favourable to ratepayers.

Browne says the creation of a new Act should result in affordable electricity for customers.