National Energy Marketers Association Sets Policy Priorities for 2012

Marking its 15th year of service, the National Energy Marketers Association recently met in executive session and adopted policy priorities for 2012.

"A historic number of consumers are taking advantage of energy choice options across the U.S. There are more than a million consumers shopping in each of the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Georgia and Texas for electricity, natural gas or both. And, I am very pleased that our members are creating more jobs, and offering more consumers both energy and technology competition than ever before," said Craig Goodman, NEM President.

While in executive session, NEM members identified the following policy priorities for 2012:

• Continued support for the state regulatory commissions, utilities and other stakeholders that have developed successful energy choice programs that are providing customers with real, sustainable opportunities to shop for their energy needs;

• Opening new markets for retail energy competition, and, in those markets where consumers have only limited opportunities to participate, such as California and Michigan, support elimination of artificial shopping caps;

• Providing consumers with transparent, market-based utility default service pricing as a transitional measure to the utilities exit from the commodity merchant function;

• Promoting ethical and responsible conduct among industry participants;

• Achieving greater standardization of rules to reduce the costs of doing business; and

• Ensuring reasonable credit and risk management requirements for marketers at state and federal levels.