“Choice,” perhaps better than any other word, describes the American marketplace for most consumer goods and services. From aisles-full of options in the grocery store, to automobile packages designed for almost every consumer preference, many Americans would say they do not lack for choices when it comes to most of their potential purchases.

There is one sector, however, in which choice has traditionally not been available – energy. Since the late 19th century, utility companies have been granted geographic monopolies to provide electricity and natural gas to consumers. For decades, the energy supplied to one’s home or business was pre-determined without any consumer input. Keep reading →