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Some good info on how energy deregulation should be done to make it beneficial.
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In Pennsylvania and Texas, retail consumers are the beneficiaries of successful competition among retail energy providers. Now in its sixth year of electric deregulation, Pennsylvania cites $4 billion in cumulative residential savings.
It sure has. Maine Results: rampant price hikes and poor service. Hasn't worked at all, and has led to very high prices across the state for Electricity.
It works in some areas more than others. It also works in certain industries more than others. Some states have so many power co-ops and companies that prices remain low due to the variety of choices (more common in the Southern US though).
Only the govt will claim deregulation works. Why dont you ask the people if it works. People I am familiar with are in Houston and all their choices of electricity companies. I betcha not one, not one single person will say deregulation worked for them. It is fun though to make a dozen calls to all the power companies searching for the cheapest price. Then when you choose the cheap one, in 3 months they raise it.
Right now that is an issue heading for the courts when enough people organize. The power companies are pulling bait and switch on the hapless peons.....oops I mean citizens.
I lived in a state that had deregulation with the cable companies. Within 3 years my internet went from $21/m to $44/m.
Just look at California after they de-regulated their power system. Brown-outs and black-outs all because Enron wanted a little more profit.
I live in a city where the consumers own the power company. Our power company exists to provide power, not to increase returns to share holders. And we have some of the cheapest electricity in the country.
Only the govt will claim deregulation works. Why dont you ask the people if it works. People I am familiar with are in Houston and all their choices of electricity companies....
Here's an article I found on Texas deregulation. It seems that the success of deregulation could come down to how it's implemented based on each state's situation. Texas seems to have some market differences about it that are different from other states so each state needs to take these differences into account when shaping their deregulation approach.
Quote:
"When people complain about prices I ask them, 'Have you shopped around? Have you changed your consumption habits?' " said Steve Madden, senior vice president of supply at StarTex Power, an independent electric retailer.
Anyone who claims that Texas' deregulation has worked isnt' a RATE PAYER. As many customers in TX say, "same service at twice the price.
In any objective study of power rates in TX the most competitive (mid size and large city) are Austin, San Antonio and San Marcos. And what do these three have in common? CITY OWNED ELECTRICAL SERVICE.
Or you could have signed up for "guaranteed" rate service from the carrier who's name eludes me right now. They've recently sent letters to those customers saying they're (power supplier) single handedly abrogating the agreement. When the regulatory folks were contacted about this the only sound from them was crickets.
Deregulation is in general a recipe for increased consolidation and decreased competition. Additionally, it makes that which was certain uncertain, thereby increasing risk and risk premiums. This is not an argument for generalized regulation. In many markets, circumstances are such as to not require it. But you can bet at least some rather significant portion of your sweet bippy that an already regulated market has been regulated for one or more legitimate reasons, and that deregulation will serve mostly as a reminder of what those reasons originally were for those with a poor memory or a particularly short attention span...
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