In the 90's, state after state produced plans to deregulate its electric utilities. The argument that consumer choice and competition would lead to lower prices, enhanced services, and a cleaner environment triumphed in state after state. This was particularly true because the movement of large industrial customers to new technologies such as gas turbine generation made it clear that old economics of the industry were falling apart. Headline stories have proclaimed the failure of California's deregulation plan and the resulting price spikes and rolling blackouts. Whatever it should be called, the public has turned decisively skeptical about deregulation.
Older people are also far more opposed to the change than younger people.
When we ask people how they feel about some potential ways to deal with energy shortages and high prices, we see that they are fairly, evenly divided about some of the solutions. By a slim 7-point margin they say they favor relaxing standards to allow new power plant construction. By a 3-point margin they favor the construction of more nuclear plants. Like so many issues today, the lack of a clear consensus and the presence of large portions of the population on diametrically opposed sides of the issue will make positive resolution harder. However, claims of exceptionalism have been made in every area from packaged goods to electric power.