Right now, there are a lot of proposals by generators to add new plants. The key question is whether they'll do so fast enough to meet our power needs in the region. Deregulation has already started. Maryland customers have had the right to choose electricity suppliers since last summer and D.C. residents can do so now. There's a pilot program underway in Fairfax County now giving consumers the right to pick an electricity supplier and the whole state wlil move into deregulation next January.
Energy conservation seems to have dropped off the agenda for now.
Utilities used to encourage consumers to invest in weather proofing and in more efficient appliances, but we haven't been hearing about that. When utilities were regulated, conservation programs could be required. I'm not sure that is the case under deregulation, but I'll have to check that. On the other hand, maybe deregulation will make it easier for consumers to save money by shifting some of their energy demand to times of the day when rates are lower. Nuclear power is still stymied by concerns over safety and radioactive waste disposal.