Texas electricity deregulation opinions all over the grid in industry panel
Depending on who you are, deregulation of the Texas electric industry has been a boon or a burden.
We gathered nine executives, officials and consumer advocates to discuss who has benefited from deregulation, who has been harmed and what’s to come.
There was no consensus. Retail executives said their customers want the freedom to choose among pricing plans and features, but one consumer advocate said people simply want low prices, and they “don’t give a flip” about choice.
Participants also discussed confusion about contract terms, stricter repercussions for taking advantage of consumers and whether smart meters will change the customer’s experience.
Most of the participants agreed on one point: Anyone who tries to live in the past, who cannot or will not learn about the new system, could get hurt.
The Texas Legislature deregulated the retail electric industry in 2002. No longer would utility monopolies reign. At that point, most people served by the Texas grid could choose their retail provider. Lawmakers had already deregulated the wholesale market, allowing any willing investors to build generation plants and trade power.
Only the power line utilities, such as Oncor, remain fully regulated.
Since 2002, Texans have debated whether deregulation caused prices to rise or fall. Officials, lobbyists and corporations have produced dozens of studies designed to prove their points.
Read the full article on the Dallas Morning News.
A lot of pros and cons are represented when it comes to electricity deregulation. They said that the bill is going to provide consumers with a choice. Much debate has been given in this regard since early 2000. Texas Electric Companies have been scrutinized for their pricing and service terms but it seems that the reinvention of the electricity market is much more complicated than they have expected.