Once it seemed inevitable that utilities would be free to merge and expand at will; now the future is not so clear.
Perhaps the future will be one in which large utility conglomerates control many aspects of American life, including providing the lion's share of service, repair and supply of goods. This future won't be here for a while yet, judging by the snail's pace with which the various utility deregulation proposals are moving through Congress.
Furthermore, this is an election year and small businesses such as contractors, who fear unfair competition from the power companies, and small regional utilities, who are afraid their customer bases will be eaten up by large megacorporations, have increased pressure to ensure their concerns are heard by politicians. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., reinforced this cautionary approach in a speech to the United States Chamber of Commerce, as reported in Public Power Weekly: "Don't expect Congress to pass electricity restructuring legislation this year. I don't think that the electricity deregulation legislation will reach the form that we can get it through the whole process."