EPSA PowerFact: Organized Wholesale Markets Are Competitive and Delivering Benefits to Consumers

The independent market monitors for every Independent System Operator (ISO) and Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) in the country have once again found these organized markets are competitive and provide economic benefits to consumers, based on detailed reports for 2009. The annual reports note that the organized wholesale markets are appropriately reflecting lower fuel prices and passing these competitive power options along to consumers, with electricity prices dropping by roughly 50 percent from 2008 to 2009.
 
More than two-thirds of the nation's electricity consumers live or do business in states that are part of organized competitive wholesale and retail electricity markets. In these states, wholesale electricity markets have been restructured to promote competition among energy market participants including power suppliers, demand resource providers, and other innovative energy management firms while maintaining strict regulatory oversight.