Briefs: ComEd customers will get credits
CHICAGO -- ComEd customers can expect to see lower electric bills starting in October. The utility said Tuesday it will begin this week to issue $250 million in credits to all residential customers through the end of this year. First, customers will see a lump-sum credit on October bills averaging about $60, which is retroactive to Jan. 2. Then, these customers will begin to see smaller monthly bill credits, averaging about $7 per month, for the rest of this year. The monthly bill credit amount will decrease in 2008 and 2009.
Delta, United get China routes
WASHINGTON -- Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have won two coveted new air routes to China's financial and manufacturing capitals, and four other new routes have been proposed for 2009, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said Tuesday. Delta will fly from Atlanta to Shanghai, available in April. Delta's flight to China's financial hotspot is the first to China by a U.S. airline from the Southeast. Chicago-based United will fly a route between Guangzhou and San Francisco starting next spring. In addition, American Airlines was awarded the tentative right to begin service between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Beijing beginning in March 2009.
Amazon launches Web music service
NEW YORK -- Amazon.com Tuesday launched an early version of its highly anticipated digital music download store, seen as a potential rival to Apple's dominant iTunes service. The "Amazon MP3" store allows users to buy music without copy protection technology, so the songs can play on a variety of devices, including Apple's market-leading iPod.
NRG Energy wants new nuclear reactor
DALLAS -- Power producer NRG Energy Inc. has submitted the first application for a new nuclear reactor in the U.S. in nearly 30 years, company officials confirmed Tuesday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was sent NRG's application for two new units at its facility in Bay City, Texas, about 90 miles southwest of Houston, on Monday afternoon, company spokesman Dave Knox said.