George wrote:

Actually things were working quite well pre-deregulation. Our electric
utility was well run, making a buck, their stock was paying a good
dividend and they provided power at a fair price.

There were numerous players touting "10% savings" in my state but that
was marketing vs reality. If you closely analyzed the savings none
actually provided it over the long term.

I believe there is only one reseller "alternate supplier" left for us
to choose at this point.

"Competition" is about more than just price. We have about twenty
electricity suppliers in my area. They compete on price, sure, but others
offer competitive challenges:

* Pay in advance, no credit check
* "Green" energy
* Raidoactive-free electricity
* 10% Renewable Energy (i.e., whale oil)
* 5% derived from Unicorns on Treadmills
* Every month a 10% off coupon for something you probably don't need (Hair
braiding, VW Bug tune-ups, Kittens, Grease Trap Cleaning, etc.).