I think the goal of having consumer choice of an energy provider is a good one. Having the right regulatory structure for that is the trick. I have to admit I haven't studied the issue to see how it's worked out in the various states that are trying it, though there's not a single model appropriate for every state. If it came up as a ballot issue here, I'd have to feel really good about the model to vote for it even though I think the goal is a good one.
Edit: Clearly the way it was done in CA wasn't the right way.
In Georgia, any new customer with a 500kV load or higher can choose its electricity supplier, and there's pretty spirited competition between Georgia Power, the EMCs and municipal utilities. That has worked out because the company that wins the contract pays to build the lines and other infrastructure for the business.
However, there are deregulation structures that require utilities to buy power from alternate power providers, regardless of cost. Californians have an idea how that works out.
Also, we're looking at regional electricity shortages now because existing and proposed deregulation has meant that no utility has built a large power plant from more than 20 years. It's all very well to say there's excess power in some parts of the country, but most of the power grid is more than 40 years old, and it simply can handling wheeling large amounts of power.
I don't see any structure for deregulation with current technology that isn't going to eventually screw residential customers.
(I'll shut up now. It's a subject close to my heart.)
megan, you weren't here for the brown-out and super high PG&E bills period. It sucked.
I was just wondering if complaints about PG&E bills were like taxes, i.e., Californians think they are so high, but yet they're cheaper than everywhere else I've been.
I introduced myself to the lady with the swag from my two-jobs-ago. We had a good time reminiscing about the shady hazy crazy days of that company. Man, that shit was dodgy. And she was all up in the dodginess, straight out of university. I can't imagine what that must be like, to look back on what you did right out of college and see that doing what you were told to do was drawing the wool over people's eyes.
The auto-translated article from a Norwegian newspaper linked from the Boing Boing post is comedy gold, as well.
I was just wondering if complaints about PG&E bills were like taxes
They more than doubled for a while because of the Enron shenanigans.
Then we got the pleasure of reading transcriptions of the power brokers on the phones laughing like hell while they very deliberately fucked us over.
In fact, should I ever meet somebody at a cocktail party who mentions they were in the Texas energy biz there's a high chance my hands will reflexively fly to their throat.
They more than doubled for a while because of the Enron shenanigans.
My P&G bill would have to triple to equal what I paid in NY or MD.
But I don't think I'm the average consumer. (Given that my monthly bill is $13-14 for gas & electric).
Our energy bills tend to be fairly low - last month's high water mark for me was an $85 bill for an 800 square foot apartment during a single digit cold snap. There are benefits to saying "Sure, build more nuclear power plants in our state!"
