Celebrating the Solstice - FTC-style
By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, and Derek Moore, Office of Policy Planning | Jun 20, 2016 12:35PM
Looking for ways to celebrate the summer solstice? Tune in to the FTC's workshop on competition and consumer protection issues in solar energy. Tomorrow, on June 21, scientists, academics, regulators, and other industry experts will come together for a series of presentations and roundtables to discuss:
Shining a light on solar power
By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, and Derek Moore, Office of Policy Planning | May 3, 2016 4:27PM
Look up and you just might see one: solar panels are on top of more homes and businesses than ever before. Around the country, rooftop solar is an increasingly important source of electricity. For many customers with solar panels, solar power provides most of their electricity; many even sell power back to the power company.
Competition sparks improvements in local electricity markets
By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, and Jim Mongoven, Bureau of Competition | Dec 1, 2015 12:59PM
The New York State Public Service Commission is on a path to move away from traditional cost-of-service regulation for electric utilities. This is good news for New York consumers who might be looking to lower their electric bill or reduce their reliance on the power grid. In fact, the policy move is motivated by advances in energy technology, increased concerns about the environmental impact of fossil-fuel generation, and consumers’ interest in having more direct control over their electric service.
Continue Reading Competition sparks improvements in local electricity markets
Change may be coming to a plug near you
By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, and Jim Mongoven, Bureau of Competition | Sep 16, 2015 2:30PM
It’s easy to be blasé about electric power: Flip a switch and the lights come on. Plug in your phone and it recharges. Maybe you have a vague sense that behind the plug is a vast infrastructure of lines and junction boxes, all leading back to far-away power plants that generate electricity. But new technologies and growing interest in ‘green’ energy sources are prompting policymakers to rethink public utility regulation – and suddenly, what happens behind that plug could get a whole lot more interesting.
FTC Milestones: Making the case for reform of public utility holding company laws
By: Kelly Signs, Bureau of Competition | Nov 18, 2014 1:18PM
From its earliest days, the Commission has used its authority under Section 6 of the FTC Act to gain a deep understanding of competitive conditions in a variety of industries. In its first two decades alone, the FTC produced more than 100 studies or responses to general inquiries, most often pursuant to Congressional resolutions or Presidential orders. Information and insight gained in these inquiries generated policy recommendations to tackle the pressing needs of the nation in the face of changing market conditions.
Continue Reading FTC Milestones: Making the case for reform of public utility holding company laws
By: John Seesel, Office of the General Counsel, & Douglas Hilleboe, Office of Policy Planning | Jan 17, 2014 12:17PM
This will come as no shock to anyone familiar with the Federal Trade Commission’s policy and advocacy function: FTC staff has a long history of advocating for effective competition and consumer protection in electricity markets.
