Pennsylvania electricity market grows as customer base shrinks, report finds
Customers who choose to shop for the source of their electricity in Pennsylvania are increasingly entering a vibrant market of competitors, according to an annual report that ranks states with deregulated energy markets.
At the same time, convincing customers that it is worth their while to explore the kaleidoscope of power generation options remains a challenge for companies and regulators, as the number of Pennsylvanians shopping around dropped to an 18-month low in June, according to data collected by the state Public Utility Commission.
The report, released Tuesday, found Pennsylvania had been among the strongest markets in 2014, out of 16 states and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Ontario that deregulated ownership of power plants beginning in the 1990s. Customers now have the option of signing up for plans sold by retail electric generation supply companies that offer various rates, contract terms, renewable features and rewards bundles.
Known in short form as Abaccus — an acronym for Annual Baseline Assessment of Choice in Canada and the United States — the report measured about four dozen metrics that cover aspects of market design, the health of the market, and government policies and rules.
