>Maryland’s deregulated utility market has produced remarkable benefits for consumers, the economy and the environment
Garrett County By Federico Pena
4:11 p.m. EST, January 27, 2011
Not long after my tenure as secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Maryland lawmakers took the progressive step of introducing competition to the electric utility sector, and today the state’s energy marketplace has matured into one of the most successful in the nation. Innovation has replaced the inefficiencies of the old monopoly system, giving customers new choices, competitive prices and an efficient, reliable power supply.
Consider these recent developments:
•Since 2007, more than 1,700 megawatts of generation have come on line in Maryland in the form of upgrades at existing plants and delayed or withdrawn plant retirements. That’s the equivalent output of a large nuclear power plant at a fraction of the cost.
