The Eagles of Deregulation: The Role of the Courts in a Restructured Environment

Abstract

Electricity is a key resource. This article examines what really happened in California's electric deregulation, step-by-step, and critiques the regulatory response and legal fallout of the first major electric crisis in the U.S. in more than 50 years. It analyzes pending court cases and legislative initiatives, and why the latter were ineffective to militate the effects of the crisis. This article was the first article to assess the legal implications of the California regulatory collapse.