Law Commons^™

Rethinking Reform Of Electricity Markets, Joseph P. Tomain

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

Rethinking Reform starts with a thought experiment about the complete deregulation of electricity markets. The article goes on to discuss how the traditional model of utility regulation has served its useful purpose and must be replaced. The two recommendations made in the article include the use of marginal cost pricing and an array of smart energy technologies to create a better and more efficient energy policy.

The Past And Future Of Electricity Regulation, Joseph P. Tomain

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

Electric industry restructuring has been an activity not free from difficulties. The California energy crisis of the summer of 2000, the world crisis after September 11, as well as the implosion of Enron have raised questions about the future of electricity restructuring. As a policy matter, the move to reduce command-and-control regulation of the electric industry and to promote competition enjoys widespread support. The industry, however, is not one that can be totally deregulated. This Article argues that the California and Enron crises may slow restructuring, but restructuring should continue as a matter of sound industrial policy. In addition, the …

Networkindustries.Gov.Reg, Joseph P. Tomain

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

This essay is part of a Symposium entitled "American Regulatory Policy: Have We Found A Third Way?" The paper looks at the changes in the regulation of what were once called public utilities and are now called network industries. Traditional regulation is described and compared with the current form and structure of the regulation of these industries. The paper makes the argument that, even though deregulation is occurring consistent with Third Way thinking, it is occurring not only because of changes in world global economic views. Rather, it is changing because of what traditional regulation has accomplished.

Traditional regulation constructed …