Consistently across the nation, maintenance programs have been cut back or eliminated, the number of employees reduced, customer service centers closed, and plans to build more generation facilities put on hold. As need is growing, less is being done to ensure reliable service. The deregulation debate is heating up with the weather. Those who are pushing for changes to the industry claim deregulation will solve the problems we are now experiencing, yet some of the states that have deregulated have endured some of the worst problems. Greed is rampant on the deregulated wholesale market as customers desperate to buy power are at the mercy of those who have it.
Power is available to the highest bidder when it is needed most.
Providing power to residential customers for air conditioners is certainly not as attractive as making millions on the wholesale market in just a few hours. In business there are always winners and losers. Unfortunately, with the electricity industry this can mean the difference between life and death as consumers try to keep cool. But if you think its bad now, just wait until deregulation is a reality.