Low-Income Issues in Electricity Restructuring |
| |
| Authors: | JERROLD OPPENHEIM THEO MACGREGOR |
| |
| Institution: | The0 MacGregor has worked for over 16 years in electric utility regulation and consulting. She is founder of MacGregor Energy Consultancy, specializing in the design of energy efficiency, payment assistance, and other consumer protection programs for low-income and general residential utility customers. ,;Jerrold Oppenheim has directed utility litigation for legal services programs and Attorneys General. As he has for more than 30 years, he helps public and private clients in the development and implementation of low-income and general utility consumer programs and protections. JerroldOppCiIDemocracy AndRegulation.com., . |
| |
| Abstract: | Lower prices. New technologies. More choices. These are benefits that competition through electric industry restructuring was supposed to bring customers. Thus far, results have been disappointing, and harmful to the most vulnerable–low‐income people. Restructuring is no longer under active consideration in any state that has not already enacted it. In several states, restructuring has been reversed. This article focuses on the few states that have retained electric industry restructuring, providing a menu of necessary protections, strategies for putting them into place, and supporting arguments to keep them there. However, low‐income protections are appropriate for anactment in all places because vulnerable low‐income families live in states with both restructured and traditional electricity regulation. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
