Legislation watch
2012 House Bill 5503: Limit electric utility monopolies (expand competition)
Comments on this legislation Post new comment Text and Analysis Add to Watch List
Previous Next
- Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on March 22, 2012, to partially roll-back a 2008 law that itself mostly undid an electric utility competition law enacted in 2000. Under the 2008 law, electric utilities that until 2000 were regulated monopolies got back most of their regional monopolies, except that alternative producers could provide up to 10 percent of the demand in their regions. The bill would gradually raise that cap to 28 percent within three years, plus up to 3 percent more per year thereafter, subject to many conditions, restrictions and procedures specified in the bill.
- Referred to the House Energy and Technology Committee on March 22, 2012.
Comments
1) Re: 2012 House Bill 5503 (Limit electric utility monopolies (expand competition)) by isabelleelise on June 22, 2012Competition does bring up quality in service as well as bring down prices. The more choice in energy suppliers the better expecially when it's popular right now to demonize efficient energy sources while extolling the virtues of antiquated and expensive energy sources like wind turbines. This bill is a good start but it doesn't go far enough.
Seriously? Only ALTERNATIVE PRODUCERS providing UP TO a quarter of new electricity demands is going to lower our energy costs??? I was sickened and disgusted in 2008 when my gutless (republican controlled) legislature passed that monopolistic legislation that helped to derail plans for a clean coal plant in Midland which could really have impacted regional electrical costs and the regional economy. I we are really interested in lowering electricity rates then we need to go back to the 2000 legislation and find ways to improve the framework for a competitive market on that basis.
This bill is long overdue. We need fair and honest competition against the utility monopolies in Michigan!
Your new comments should be made in the box below.
