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EPSA President Sees Competitive Electricity Markets Building On 2011's Momentum In Historic 2012
WASHINGTON, DC - Electric Power Supply Association President & CEO John E. Shelk will participate today (3:45 PM Eastern Time) on a panel at the U.S. Energy Association's 8th Annual State of the Energy Industry Forum on "Energy Supply & Delivery" at the National Press Club. Other panelists will be Mark Crisson, President of the American Public Power Association, and Manning Feraci, Vice President, Legislative Affairs of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The moderator will be Dave Mohre, Executive Director, Energy and Power Division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Shelk will stress the following points in opening remarks:
- When it comes to energy supply and delivery in 2012, competitive wholesale and retail markets will build on the momentum built up across many regions of the country as 2011 ended. Examples of this momentum include the historic move toward reliance on competitive wholesale generation in Ohio, steps by Entergy to join an RTO or move its assets into an independent joint venture, and competitive retail market expansion across an increasing number of states where consumers have choice.
- It is appropriate that 2012 will be a pivotal year in the expansion of competitive electricity markets and their ability to deliver benefits to consumers in a challenging economy. This year is both the 20th anniversary of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 that launched wholesale competition and EPSA's 15th anniversary as the national trade association representing the competitive wholesale power sector.
- The principal reason why the momentum in favor of competitive markets will continue is that the economic fundamentals are good for consumers. Just as when competition expanded in the 1990's, today wholesale markets are providing supply on terms much more favorable than those available from rate base regulated utilities. This is likely to continue given trends in technologies, fuel supply markets, environmental regulations, and expectations of demand growth below historical expectations, among other factors. The generation component of the retail rate has dropped in restructured states.
- EPSA looks forward to continuing to work with APPA and NRECA, along with EEI, to protect energy end-users from excessive regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, support cost-effective cyber security legislation, and to address serious flaws in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s misguided demand response compensation scheme. EPSA's policy advocacy will be guided by its October 2011 paper, Principles to Power America, Competitive Market Evolution: The next decade of progress.
CONTACT: JOHN SHELK
(202) 349-0154or 703-472-8660
EPSA is the national trade association representing competitive power suppliers, including generators and marketers. These suppliers, who account for nearly 40 percent of the installed generating capacity in the United States, provide reliable and competitively priced electricity from environmentally responsible facilities serving global power markets. EPSA seeks to bring the benefits of competition to all power customers.