According to recent trade press (Restructuring Today 10/23), the COMPETE Coalition, an alliance of investor-owned utilities, large industrial customers and others that favor wholesale and retail electricity competition, issued a press release announcing the hired of former Mayor of Dallas, Ron Kirk to be a co-chair of the coalition. He joins former Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK) in that capacity.
COMPETE also announced that it will undertake an advertising campaign aimed at federal policymakers, touting the benefits to consumers of electric market restructuring. The ads will appear in major daily newspapers, on line and in trade publications. This is part of an on-going effort by COMPETE members to convince legislators and regulators that the so-called "organized markets" deliver real benefits and are in the best interests of consumers.
The article noted that this effort comes as governors and policymakers in several states are considering measures to end restructuring and retail competition programs. It also comes at a time when FERC is responding to complaints about the organized markets by holding conferences to determine whether competition is working. Two such conferences have been held to date.
For more information on the COMPETE Coalition, go to http://www.competecoalition.com/