Some Emerging Challenges in Electricity Markets

Abstract

Energy deregulation in the 90s led to the development of power markets in the United States. The Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) in 1978 laid down the early foundations of deregulation. Subsequent legislations included the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct92) and FERC Order No. 888 in 1996. They established the rules to “remove impediments to competition in the wholesale bulk power marketplace” by promoting “non-discriminatory transmission services” [1]. These legislations led to the development of two different market architectures in different parts of the US. In one, utility companies established a bilateral market to transact with independent power producers and/or other utilities. In others, a third-party nonprofit facilitator—an Independent System Operator (ISO) or a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO)—was established to mediate between the buyers and the sellers of power at the wholesale level. Our discussion in this article will primarily revolve around the latter.