How Do We Do It? In a Word, It’s "Deregulation"
The energy business consists of two basic activities: (1) the production of energy, and (2) the delivery of that energy to consumers, via power lines and natural gas pipes. Local utility companies build, maintain, and own the energy delivery infrastructure, and until recently, U.S. consumers had no choice other than also purchasing the energy supply from them.
In recent years, some states have chosen to open up competition and provide choices for consumers, “deregulating” their energy markets and providing citizens with the right to choose their energy supplier.