[rstrahan]

Texas went from a PUC-controlled franchise market, where returns investment was capped, and could require generation plants, to an unregulated “free market”. The result were rates that went from some of the lowest in the nation to the highest.

Deregulation is not the answer, as manipulation of rates, generation, etc is rampant.

[cripplecreek]

Competition is good. No company should ever be protected from outside competition.

[thackney]

The result were rates that went from some of the lowest in the nation to the highest.

Nonsense. Texas residential electricity rates are below the national average.

Average retail price of electricity to ultimate customers: Latest month
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/xls/table_5_06_a.xlsx

In January 2014:
Texas average rate was 11.19¢/kwh
US average rate was 11.65¢/kwh
Hawaii average rate was 37.4011.65¢/kwh
Rhode Island average rate was 20.16 ¢/kwh
22 states plus DC had higher rates than Texas.

[thackney]

Correction:

Hawaii average rate was 37.40¢/kwh