Our electrical utility industry is nearly a century old. Advances in technology are driving changes on a lot of levels. Increased competition is attractive and arguments ensue about deregulation issues within markets for freedom of enterprise, or to prevent hardship and inequities by guarding the system with sound regulation.
New institutions are emerging under the guidance of law makers who have been involved in the issues for decades. Environmental concerns, fairness and affordable availability issues always emerge within solution oriented conversations.
Socially desirable functions usually come when the government is an over-seer, and the deregulation actions are an attempt to equalize a playing field. It is changing quickly due to the new energy-forms being accessed for delivery.
Frustrations with Traditional Regulation
Most players agree that traditional regulation appears flawed. Regulatory issues had rulers wanting utility companies to complete delayed power plants. Poor management and lack of demand for more power caused costs to escalate.
Genuine Leadership
A general diversity of leadership began to occur when companies realized change was inevitable. This brought fresh conversations and additional perspectives and allowed them to become articulated to the public. The playing field changed even more, when the drive for new and solar energies became backed by the government. This caused a lot of shifting in perspectives about approaches to regulatory issues.
Companies in the 90s attempted to protect their interests going into a new era. To lighten the load, many of these companies cut social and energy savings programs, which caused a backlash from the public. Mergers happened, and much streamlining took place. Relationships changed forms and companies are now predicting offerings of telecommunications along with gas and water services.
New Technologies Changing Everything
For almost a century, normal structures for regulated industry meant large, central power-plants generating electricity for vast distribution. People's locations were linked by wires. Those days are fading quickly as decentralization and disconnection from hard wiring occurs.
Today fuel-cells are making electricity with water running through micro-turbines for the same reason. We are using natural gas, photovoltaic cells and energy-storage systems that let people get electricity directly from our sun.
These technologies are not plant dependent, wire dependent or grid dependent.
Yet interconnection of different systems is not difficult or mysterious. We are poised within an unusual moment of complete energy supply transformation, and the regulatory issues that will become inspired will likely work well for the new landscape.
