US voters support competitive power markets over government support: EPSA

Roughly two-thirds of voters oppose policies that support struggling power plants through higher utility bills or taxes and only 7% believe consumers should pay for new or existing power plants, an Electric Power Supply Association poll released Aug. 20 showed.

"Americans understand that struggling power plants should retire, and that political influence only results in higher bills and less efficiency," Todd Snitchler, president and CEO of merchant power generator trade group EPSA, said in an emailed statement.

"What this poll makes clear is that voters prioritize reliability and affordability, and they are fed up with bailouts and the political gamesmanship we've seen in multiple states, including Ohio and Illinois," Snitchler added.

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is among five people recently charged in a federal racketeering conspiracy case tied to the passage of a controversial law that provides millions in financial support to two nuclear power plants.

The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 21 announced charges related to a more than $60 million bribe paid to Householder and his associates. Householder has since been indicted and unanimously voted out of his role as Speaker.

"This polling shows that consumers don't want politicians picking energy resources," Snitchler said in an email.

"The egregious tactics used to secure power plant bailouts in Ohio were pursued primarily to cut out competition—as well as to go around the market to support preferred power generation resources," Snitchler said.

"Meanwhile, customers are stuck paying the price because unlike EPSA members, these companies can secure revenue and put the risk on consumers through a political rate process," he said.

Polling results

According to 90% of US voters polled, the government should encourage reliable, affordable energy resources, with 59% saying that encouraging clean energy is very important and 28% saying it is somewhat important.

The poll was conducted in partnership with Morning Consult from July 15-18 and covered a national sample of 1,999 registered US voters, according to EPSA.

From that sample, 55% of voters said it was very important government energy strategy to encourage reducing emissions that contribute to climate change and 27% said it was somewhat important.

The polling also indicated voters support electricity market competition, with 67% saying competitive markets will help achieve least-cost emissions reductions and 73% saying more choices for power generation produce more innovation.

"If market rules are allowed to determine what resources the grid truly needs and customers demand, political interference will be minimized and customers will get a better deal," Snitchler said.

"This polling shows that voters see having more choice and competition – to reduce emissions, improve reliability, and bring down costs – is the best path," he said.

And while the polling did not test for "support for corrupt actions to secure policy, if the public doesn't support selecting winners and losers, doing so under the guise of an alleged bribery scheme is even more antithetical to consumer preferences," Snitchler said.

Additionally, of the voters polled, 85% said it was important for the US to build more renewable energy and 78% said it was import to slow climate change impacts, but 86% said it was important for the US minimize the cost of power generation to consumers.