Britain deregulated in 1990, using a central auction pool to set prices. That was the model for California's system, begun in 1998. But Britain is now abandoning its auction pool because it was subject to abuses. It is setting up a system that invites competition. Pennsylvania's system has competition and has succeeded.
Power plants have to be built.
Electricity usage in the United States is now growing 1.5 percent a year, double the rate of the 1980s and 1970s. But the necessary power plants have not been built in many areas. And new kinds of generation can't even be tried. For example, the technology exists to allow a McDonald's to have a small turbine behind the store to power the grills and potato fryers. But McDonald's couldn't get a permit because the infrastructure hasn't been developed.