Welcome to the Electric Market Reform Initiative
The Electric Market Reform Initiative (EMRI) is a special project of the American Public Power Association. EMRI was formed in response to the failure of the restructuring of the wholesale electricity markets to provide consumers with just and reasonable electric rates and reliable service. Although restructuring was implemented as a means to promote “competition”, spur efficiencies and innovation, and most importantly, lower rates for consumers, the opposite has occurred.
Read more about the problems of the wholesale markets as illustrated by the findings of EMRI’s investigative studies.
EMRI is now leading a campaign to reform these markets. Read more about these efforts and learn how to help.
What's New
2009 Financial Performance of Owners of Unregulated Generation. This study updates earlier financial analyses of owners of unregulated generation in the PJM Interconnection, and finds that the high profits earned by these companies continued during the recession of 2009. (Published 5/24/2010)
Retail Electric Rates in Deregulated and Regulated States: 2009 Update, March 2010
The Energy Information Administration's full-year 2009 data shows that electric rates in states with deregulated electric markets continue to exceed rates in regulated states and that the disparity is as high as in prior years. Read the report.
The Lake Erie Loop Flow Mystery, Public Power Magazine, January-February, 2010
Letter from Senators Casey and Specter to FERC Chairman Wellinghoff Requesting an Investigation of Wholesale Electricity Markets (12/18/09)
APPA Releases New Study on Productive and Unproductive Costs of Cap-and-Trade plus Video of Press Conference (7/15/09)
The Deregulation Penalty: Losses for Consumers and Gains for Sellers, by Edward Bodmer, June 2009. Updated Version Posted August 2009
This study finds that the largest owners of unregulated power generation in the PJM Interconnection continued to enjoy high profits in 2008, which greatly exceed the earnings of regulated utilities. Download the press release, full study, appendices or a summary. Download APPA’s response to criticisms from the Electric Power Suppliers Association of the report.
APPA Releases Competitive Market Plan for Reform of RTO-Run Wholesale Electricity Markets (02/20/2009)
Download Press Release, summary and plan.
Bilateral Contracting in Deregulated Electricity Markets, By Ezra Hausman, Rick Hornby, and Allison Smith, Synapse Energy Economics, Inc., April 18, 2008
While bilateral contracts are widely recognized as crucial to the functioning of truly competitive electricity markets, this study finds that Regional Transmission Organizations have failed to create an environment conducive to the vigorous, competitive, long-term bilateral contracting that would provide the most benefits to consumers.
APPA Calls for Electricity Market Reforms to Address Growing Crisis
Read the news release and the white paper, Consumers in Peril: Why RTO-Run Electricity Markets Fail to Produce Just and Reasonable Electric Rates. (2/27/2008)
