Is electricity deregulation a raw deal for Texas?

[Horse with no Name]

I just got a $900 bill for December. I would have to agree it is NOT a good thing.

Deregulating the electricity markets was supposed to lower utility bills and improve service.

For most people living in areas where power companies compete for their business, the opposite has happened.

That's why many deregulated states are adding back regulations, even re-creating the old local utility monopolies.

The one state that isn't even considering a change is Texas, the most deregulated state of all. Many Texas lawmakers say free markets – not rules and regulations – should protect consumers from rising energy costs. But those free markets keep Texas' electricity prices higher than those of most states, breaking politicians' promise of lower utility bills.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/012008dnbusdereg.2b27284.html

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. Who could possibly believe that the reason that industries want deregulation

is so that they can deliver LOWER prices to the consumer?

[napi21]

2. The only deregulation I ever remember that was a benefit to the

consumers was the telephone company, and I'm not sure I can credit deregulation or credit new technology.

[DJ13]

3. Deregulation is conservative corpspeak for "raping the customer and making our buddies rich"

There hasnt been a single example of deregulation that hasnt led to higher costs for consumers that Im aware of.

Deregulation here in California of our energy providers led to Enron's screwing us over several years back by falsifying supply contraints to justify a tripling of the price we pay for electricity.

We still are about 3x what we used to pay, even though Enron's fraud was exposed and they went bankrupt.

Deregulation of the credit industry has led to massive fraud in subprime, and credit card rates that once would have been considered loan sharking.

Its a sham.

[angstlessk]

4. Here in VA VA Power promised that deregulation would bring competition

they deregulated about 5 years ago and we still have only ONE company and they demand almost $1,000 when you sign on as a 'security deposit'...sharks are what they are!

[Blackhatjack]

5. Raw Deal?? Only if you object to paying 3X what you pay now. Any doubt? Ask California. n/t

[dkofos]

6. More like the ROYAL SHAFT.

My rates are more than double what they were before deregulation.

My brother pays less than $.05/kwh in Washington state.
I pay $.15-.17/kwh in Plano. (Green Mountain)

What do you pay with your "more choice"??

[Horse with no Name]

7. I have Reliant

I pay .13/kwh

[RB TexLa]

10. If you chose to pay them that, that's your business

You can chose to pay someone else less.

The first list is for Oncor service area.

http://www.saveonenergy.com/compareoffers.aspx?sa=1&StateId=1&ContextId=1

http://www.powertochoose.org/


I just switched to Direct, will switch again after I get the $100 visa card.

[Horse with no Name]

11. Hey Sparky

I live in a rural area and we don't have many choices.
This is the cheapest choice we have.

[RB TexLa]

15. ok, hopefully they will get more choices to you soon. Not sure what the "sparky" thing means

[RB TexLa]

12. I have been paying .09 in Plano. Startex, but just changed to Direct Energy to get the

Visa card, we don't use much electricity in the winter so pay .11, get a free $100 and then switch to Gaxa or Startex for the summer.

[NashVegas]

8. Geez

How many sq feet are you heating for that amount?

[Horse with no Name]

9. I think the bill is wrong FWIW

I just haven't had a chance to contest it. We were gone almost 2 weeks of the month.
I have been using the fireplace for the front of the house.
We have two central heating units, one for the front and one for the back. I rarely run them simultaneously--and turn them both off in the mornings.
Like I said, we use the fireplace for the front part most of the evening and don't even turn that unit on until late.
That said...the house is 3500 sq. ft.

[NashVegas]

20. Oy

Even with that big a place ... I'm in an apartment 1/4 that size and my bill is 1/13th. Sounds like your units are badly in need of replacing.

Or you're growing pot :)

That said, I'm not a dereg fan. They'll end up buying each other out until there's one company left, that's not even remotely accountable to the public.

[Rosemary2205]

13. ROFL

Are they still spewing that lie? "It'll bring down prices" LOL

Sad part is, if we actually had a functioning media in this country people would have stopped falling for that crap decades ago.

[wintersoulja]

14. Hey, dont step on their rights to free speech!

What kind of media are you looking for, one that answers to the government's edict?
Shame on you. and me.

[Kingofalldems]

16. Deregulation=You will pay more

It's a trick played by the cons.

[wintersoulja]

19. not just cons

you might consider the ballot initiative for municipal power in San Francisco at the tail of the "California Electricity Crisis".
Another one of those razor thin margins that required the ballots be moved across the street to count the defeat. Oh yeah, that was a con job. I thought you meant Republicans.
Never mind..

[Elspeth]

17. Honey, take it from a San Diegan--you're being shafted.

Join the club.

[Stephanie]

18. It was a disaster in Montana >

The Deregulation Disaster

In 1997, the Montana Legislature made one of the greatest public policy blunders in its history, with the enactment of SB 390 deregulating the electric utility industry. The decision was made over the strong protests of more than a dozen consumer, low-income, and environmental organizations, and a mere 36 farsighted legislators. The fallout was even worse than the opponents predicted, with a cascade of unintended, devastating consequences to Montana’s ratepayers, economy, and environment.

The first (and perhaps worst) of these misadventures was the surprise sell-off of Montana Power Co.’s electricity generation facilities to a solitary out-of-state company, Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL). As the dominant generator of electricity in the state, PPL Montana has made hefty profits charging Montanans unregulated “market-based” power rates.


Other impacts of deregulation were quick to follow. Most Montanans are well-versed in the ensuing price spikes, layoffs, and bankruptcies. All in all, the wreckage has been severe enough to render infamous the term “deregulation,” and to make legislators shudder when their proposals are assigned the designation “SB 390.”

2007 Legislature Repeals Dereg Laws

On May 14th, ten years and 12 days after Montana started down this unfortunate path, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer signed into law HB 25 (Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup) to repeal most of what remained of SB 390. In his signing statement, the Governor declared deregulation “an unmitigated disaster for Montana.” While this bill does not go so far as to re-establish control over the power plants formerly owned by Montana Power Co., it does allow NorthWestern Energy (NWE) to more effectively pursue long-term, low-cost contracts for its customers and to build its own generation facilities.

http://www.meic.org/energy/power_plants/highwood/highwood-and-hb-25

[Breeze54]

21. Y-E-S !!!!!

How could it not be? :shrug: