Electric industry de-regulation was supposed to lower cost through competition but many residential customers saw their electric bill increase almost $500/yr! As recently as 2003 our electric rates were competitive with the rest of the nation but now are 36% more. For industrial users the cost differential is an even higher 48% making Delaware unattractive as a place to locate new industrial facilities. A big part of the problem is we are charged a high premium for importing 60% of our power from other states.

http://www.caesarrodney.org/pdfs/Deregulation_fails_to_lower_electric_prices.