>>Hmmm... if KWh prices are indeed "regulated" then I wonder how it was that California (or here earlier this summer until government intervention) had such massive increases that bankrupted the state? I mean Enron et. al. could have cheated and otherwise colluded all they wanted without impact **IF* prices truly were regulated.
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>Right in California but in Florida they have to ask the Public Utility Commission (Govt) to raise their prices. I assume some other US States do the same. But I'm no expert in power producing, distribution and consumption.

I hate to be pestilent, Alex, but this one of those items < s >

The price chargeable is regulated here too - permission must be obtained to raise the KWh rate, which is currently set at 4.3 cents per.
BUT, and as you see it is a big "but". That but is that the regulated price is for power GENERATED HERE (in the province).
As I related yesterday, the generator owners here easily circumvented that restriction by putting local capacity into 'maintenance mode' and then selling THEIR OWN out-of-province product for spot market rates (which ranged anywhere between 5.9 - 15.9 per KWh.)

All this to say that it could well be that what you have in Fla and many other states (and provinces) is the APPEARANCE of "regulation" with the real capability of wide open.

cheers