In the past, one utility company handled everything — from making electricity to delivering it to your home and sending the bill. Customers had no choice in who supplied their power.

With energy deregulation, the market is opened up to competition. Now, different companies manage different parts of the process:

• Generators make the electricity.
  
• Retail Energy Providers (REPs) buy that power and sell it to you through different plans and rates.

• Utility Companies (TDUs), like Ameren or ComEd, maintain the power lines and deliver the electricity to your home or business.
  

You can think of TDU fees as the “delivery cost” for getting your power.

The main benefit of deregulation is choice — you get to pick your energy provider and find a plan that fits your budget and needs.