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Feature from Environmental Building News
April 1, 1997
Electricity Deregulation, the Environment, and Buildings
Since the Energy Policy Act of 1992 mandated open access to electric transmission lines, deregulation of the electric utility industry has been like a freight train gathering steam. Although only a handful of states have enacted legislation or executive rules concerning deregulation, the changes are being felt all across the country. Electric utilities that have operated for over a century as regulated monopolies, with guaranteed profits to their shareholders, are suddenly faced with the specter of open competition for their customers. These changes affect the basic premise under which electricity has been sold since shortly after Thomas Edison first strung wires in Manhattan. The primary driving force behind deregulation is the promise of lower electric rates, at least for large, industrial users of electricity. Lower rates sound like a good idea, but they may encourage more use of electricity from polluting sources, with severe environmental consequences. Deregulation also undermines some of the legal and financial principles that have spurred utilities to invest in energy conservation, including promotion of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings. It is also possible that deregulation may be the first step on the path to a cleaner energy future and widespread investments in better, more efficient buildings. Many utilities never committed themselves fully to the conservation programs they were mandated to run. The monopoly structure and political power of the utilities worked against real innovation and new approaches to supplying and selling electricity. Ultimately, the question depends on whether the American public becomes committed to lean and clean energy services or chooses to use lots of cheap power, regardless of the true costs. Deregulation has the potential to throw both of these doors wide open....
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