Power Switch:
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Consumers across the United States are discovering that changes are under way in the electric power industry. Perhaps they saw a commercial on television in which a company with an odd, modern-sounding name tried to persuade them to buy its "brand" of electricity. Or perhaps they noticed that articles on hearings before state legislatures and utility commissions have moved from the business section to the front page of their newspaper. Maybe they received a letter advising them that they can now choose an electric power provider just as they do a long-distance telephone company or internet service. As these situations suggest, several states have already introduced competition into their electric power sectors, and a few other states are contemplating this move. For its part, Congress is gearing up for another round of debate over whether or not it should enact comprehensive "restructuring" legislation for the industry. What do these changes mean for the environment? Some fear that reduced regulatory oversight will lead to environmental abuses and a market dominated by the cheapest, dirtiest sources of electric power. Others, noting that traditional regulation has produced only grudging, token actions by electric utilities to protect the environment, hope that new technology will prove both cleaner and cheaper and that people will voluntarily buy "green" power generated from renewable resources. Which vision is valid? Perhaps both, and perhaps neither. Overall, there are reasons to be cautiously optimistic that a properly restructured utility system can lead to a cleaner environment. The most important requirements are that people be informed and that they be willing to act both as green citizens and as green consumers—that is, to vote for sound public policies and to buy products and services that help protect the planet. |
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