INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITY (IOU)

Detroit Edison Monroe Power Plant” by Cford3 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

a privately-owned electric utility whose stock is publicly traded. It is rate regulated and authorized to achieve an allowed rate of return.

Pros

Ensures our lights stay on 24/7/365 and centralizes control.

Cons

Run for the profit of investors; money leaves the community.

Real Talk

Business models like CCA and decoupling allow for the profits of energy procurement to flow back to the community.