부산대학교 도서관

The goal of facilitating competition in the natural gas industry enjoys widespread support, and public policy is likely to continue industry movement in that general direction. As the industry makes its inevitable transition, however, care must be taken not to confuse the valuable, but ultimately limited, competition that is possible in the natural gas industry with competition in unregulated markets. Industry structure and the traditional, still valid underpinnings of pipeline regulation caution against such facile comparisons. Greater freedom of entry does not inexorably compel equal freedom of exit. Relaxation of the pipeline's service obligation under conditions of increased competition is neither inherently reasonable nor unfair, but ultimately must be justified in each case by evidence that it will serve the public interest. 35 references.