One measure of competitiveness is the price of electricity in a State.

Indiana has gone from 5th lowest in the Nation in 2003 to 26th in 2014 (electric rates went up)!

Surrounding States have all improved (lowered their electric costs).

A major difference: all surround States have implemented electric choice.

Electric Choice allows customers to purchase their energy from a wholesale supplier without any utility markup. The idea: give customers a choice and direct access to the energy markets and have competition do what competition does; lower costs and improve services.

In Illinois, not exactly the most business friendly state for taxes, electric savings have exceeded $37 BILLION. http://realgyenergyservices.com/competition-work-tune-37-billion/

In NIPSCO and Citizens Energy, where they have customer choice programs for natural gas customers, Realgy’s average customer is saving money monthly:

In Indiana: some of the biggest utilities do not offer customer choice for natural gas service; this includes Vectren, Duke and AEP. No utility in Indiana is offering customer choice for their electric service.

Competition in energy markets has been demonstrated to lower costs. Surrounding States’ to Indiana have lower electric costs in-part because of implementing electric choice. Natural gas costs are more competitive in NIPSCO and Citizens due to customer choice.

Realgy supports customer choice for energy, our experience has demonstrated that it saves consumers time and money in energy use and decisions.

Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Additional information: www.realgyenergyservices.com

Supporting Article: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/industry-indiana-electric-rates-hurt-competitiveness/article_a10b7072-4e2f-51a7-8ed0-0b99c4e4ce01.html