It should be clear by now that utility restructuring, as it's currently conceived, is but a reshuffling of deck chairs on the regulatory Titanic. The elimination of governmentally imposed restrictions on entry and prices is all that is necessary. Without regulatory protection, some utilities would undoubtedly face competition, as they currently do in those parts of the country where such things are allowed. Moreover, simply removing subsidies and allowing ratepayers the choice of abandoning high-cost power would slice a lot off of utility bills. The mere threat of competition would likely tame even the most aggressive utility company, particularly since studies show those companies are already charging more than the optimum rate.
Bills have nowhere to go but down.