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Deregulation
Many legislative issues on both the
state and national levels affect the shareholders of investor-owned
energy companies. Today, the overriding issue is the federal
government's decision to deregulate certain functions of the electric
utility industry. The goal is to give retail customers the opportunity
to choose their electric suppliers, resulting in lower prices and
increased options and services for all electricity consumers. While
Congress has not yet passed comprehensive deregulation legislation, it
continues to debate-and inevitably will pass-legislation that will
achieve that goal.
For the most part, the industry has
no quarrel with the goal. Its concern is that it be achieved in a
manner that is fair to all types of utilities and to all classes of
customers.
For example, 24 states (not including North Dakota) either have opened
the retail electricity market or are preparing to. The problem is that
electric cooperatives and municipal electric systems are not required
to operate under the same regulatory conditions as are investor-owned
utilities. This is of major concern because it gives co-ops and
municipals a significant competitive advantage.
As the debate over deregulation
continues, shareholders in the three utilities that provide
electricity in North Dakota deserve-and need-a voice that will address
their concerns. USND is that voice!
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