Tag Archive : energy deregulation

How It Works

Prior to deregulation, the electricity sector was primarily composed of significant monopolies that were approved by the government. Electric utilities were in charge of the entire energy chain, from production to distribution, and the government imposed rules on the businesses to prevent them from exploiting their customers.

These regulations specified the maximum profit margins, rate caps, and environmental requirements that utilities had to adhere to. However, other significant businesses (such as telephones, railways, and airlines) were liberalized in the 1980s.

This method was so effective that the energy sector was motivated to adopt it. When Congress approved the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) in 1978 to bring competition into the monopoly network, the foundation for deregulation was established.

PURPA mandated that utilities purchase the electricity that independent electric firms were permitted to produce. By the middle of the 1990s, the deregulation movement had expanded beyond PURPA, and several states had begun dismantling the monopolies on their own.

Because of deregulation laws, utilities had to sell their power plants, which were then bought by private companies. This led to the creation of a retail market for electricity suppliers. Although the utilities continue to handle consumer billing and distribution, independent suppliers can now deliver power in place of the utilities.

This procedure aims to increase competition among energy firms. Competition pushes suppliers to cut costs, try new things, give better customer service, and come up with new products like fixed-rate pricing and green energy.

Energy markets aren’t liberalized in every state. Others have deregulated both natural gas and electricity, or vice versa. Below is a list of the states with deregulated energy markets as of right now:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• Washington D.C.

Benefits of Deregulation

The ability to pick where one gets their electricity is the most frequently mentioned advantage of energy deregulation. When there are numerous choices, a client may always be on the lookout for lower costs and better offers.

Additionally, more people may choose to purchase green energy thanks to the freedom of choice.  For clients who wish to help the environment, several Retail Electric Providers (REPs) offer 100% renewable energy programs.

Deregulation makes suppliers more competitive. This implies that energy suppliers develop better rates and cutting-edge, new goods to persuade clients that they are the best choice in order to set themselves apart from competing businesses. 

Energy providers are driven to discover the most affordable prices, offer the most practical energy supplies, and deliver the greatest customer service because they are aware that unhappy consumers will go elsewhere to do business. The public is now paying attention to something they didn’t have to previously because of all the political wrangling about deregulation. 

Since consumers now have choices about their energy source, there is a greater awareness of, a need for information about, and an increase in conversation about the energy we use, where it comes from, and how we purchase it.

Drawbacks of Deregulation

Retail Energy Providers (REPs) competition forces utilities to reduce spending, and these trimmed funds frequently come from initiatives that support low-income consumers’ access to energy. 

Many states have made provisions for low-income families in their deregulation legislation in an effort to buck this tendency.

Electric firms started going to places where they could create inexpensive electricity using technologies that produced a lot of pollution, taking advantage of jurisdictions with low environmental regulations. 

States attempt to stop this by establishing Renewable Portfolio Standards, which mandate that a specific percentage of their energy come from clean sources.

How Effective is Deregulation?

Energy deregulation first appeared to be a failure following its disastrous test run in California in 2000. The unregulated power suppliers raised prices instead of lowering costs through competition. They did this to make money for themselves while putting the utilities out of business and causing blackouts across the state.

Pennsylvania, on the other hand, seized the chance to learn from California’s oversight. 

After Pennsylvania switched to a retail energy market, power costs went down, savings went up, and businesses started coming up with new products to attract customers. All of these things can only be called successes.

Since then, several other states have effectively deregulated their energy markets. It is now obvious that the issue we should be asking how to solve is how, not whether deregulation works. 

As we move forward, states are learning how to develop policies that will highlight the benefits and do away with the drawbacks of any novel method of doing things.

For more information on commercial energy deregulation, learn more at Commercial Utility Consultants.