Op-Ed: Power consumers deserve genuine choice

Energy and electricity markets thrive when bureaucrats get out of the way and allow genuine choice and competition. Unfortunately, that’s simply not happening in far too many states. In the name of “deregulation,” states such as Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have barred utilities in the power distribution business from supplying energy to consumers within a vertically integrated framework. While the bureaucrats in charge of this system claim that this enables consumers to choose from a host of energy suppliers – called independent power producers (IPPs) – the truth is that consumers are barred from choosing a vertically integrated option that could lower their costs and bolster supply and efficiency.

Because of this broken system, PJM Interconnection (the grid operator for many of these “restructured” mid-Atlantic states) is woefully incapable of meeting growing electricity demand – and federal regulators are demanding reform...