The unsung benefits of wholesale competition to electric utility customers who forgo retail competition

Electricity deregulation came in two parts: wholesale and retail. While wholesale competition has lowered system costs, the verdict on retail choice is less certain. Some customers enjoying the benefits of competition in certain retail choice states are, ironically, those who do not choose a third-party supplier. As can be seen in case studies from Illinois and Maryland, these 'default' utility customers benefit from use of best practices in competitive procurement