Electricity Markets Consumers Could Benefit from Demand Programs, but Challenges Remain

The efficient & reliable functioning of the more than $200 billion electric industry is vital to all Americans. As demonstrated in the 2003 blackout in the Northeast & the 2001 energy crisis in the West, changes in the cost & availability of electricity can have significant impacts on consumers & the national economy. The Fed. Energy Reg'y. Comm. supports using demand-response programs as part of its effort to develop & oversee competitive electricity markets. This report identifies: (1) the types of demand-response programs currently in use; (2) the benefits of these programs; (3) the barriers to their intro. & expansion; & (4) instances where barriers have been overcome. Also examined the fed. govt.'s participation in these programs through the GSA.Wells, Jim is the author of 'Electricity Markets Consumers Could Benefit from Demand Programs, but Challenges Remain', published 2004 under ISBN 9780756745806 and ISBN 0756745802.