Deregulated energy map
Deregulated energy states, by state
20 states plus Washington D.C. let commercial businesses choose their electricity supplier, and 26 offer natural gas choice. Find your state below.
What it means
What energy deregulation means for your business
In a deregulated — or "retail choice" — market, the generation portion of your energy supply is opened to competition. Your business buys the electricity or natural gas commodity from a licensed retail supplier of your choosing, while the local utility still owns the wires or pipes, delivers the energy, reads your meter, and restores service during outages.
That split matters commercially. Delivery charges remain regulated and are effectively fixed. The supply rate is the negotiable part of your bill — often 50–70% of the total — and it varies by supplier, by contract structure, and by when you go to market. Rates, pass-throughs, capacity tags, and contract terms all differ by ISO and by state, which is why the same business can pay very different prices for identical usage.
Keystone operates in every deregulated market in the country. We know the local supplier landscape, tariff quirks, and renewal windows — wherever your meters are.
Deregulated electricity states
14 fully deregulated · 6 partial or capped · click a state to learn more
Hover or click a state to see its electricity and natural gas choice status.
Energy deregulation by state
Retail choice status for commercial accounts across all 50 states and Washington D.C.
| State | ISO / RTO | Electricity | Natural gas | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Alaska | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Arizona | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Arkansas | MISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| California | CAISO | Partial / capped | Deregulated | Direct Access capped; CCAs widely available |
| Colorado | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Connecticut | ISO-NE | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Delaware | PJM | Deregulated | Partial / capped | — |
| Florida | Non-ISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Georgia | Non-ISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice statewide |
| Hawaii | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Idaho | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Illinois | PJM / MISO | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Indiana | MISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Iowa | MISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Kansas | SPP | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Kentucky | PJM / MISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Louisiana | MISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Maine | ISO-NE | Deregulated | Partial / capped | — |
| Maryland | PJM | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Massachusetts | ISO-NE | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Michigan | MISO | Partial / capped | Deregulated | Electric Choice capped at 10% of load |
| Minnesota | MISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Mississippi | MISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Missouri | MISO / SPP | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Montana | Non-ISO | Partial / capped | Deregulated | Large-load choice; gas choice statewide |
| Nebraska | SPP | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Nevada | Non-ISO | Partial / capped | Regulated | Large-load exit via PUCN approval |
| New Hampshire | ISO-NE | Deregulated | Partial / capped | — |
| New Jersey | PJM | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| New Mexico | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| New York | NYISO | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| North Carolina | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| North Dakota | MISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Ohio | PJM | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Oklahoma | SPP | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Oregon | Non-ISO | Partial / capped | Partial / capped | Limited large-commercial direct access |
| Pennsylvania | PJM | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| Rhode Island | ISO-NE | Deregulated | Partial / capped | — |
| South Carolina | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| South Dakota | MISO / SPP | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Tennessee | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Texas | ERCOT | Deregulated | Regulated | Fully deregulated for most of the state |
| Utah | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Vermont | ISO-NE | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Virginia | PJM | Partial / capped | Partial / capped | Limited eligibility for large loads and 100% renewable |
| Washington | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Washington D.C. | PJM | Deregulated | Deregulated | — |
| West Virginia | PJM | Regulated | Regulated | — |
| Wisconsin | MISO | Regulated | Deregulated | Natural gas choice only |
| Wyoming | Non-ISO | Regulated | Regulated | — |
Natural gas procurement
We advise on commercial natural gas contracts in every choice-enabled market, including gas-only programs in states without electric choice:
Regulated states
In regulated markets, businesses can't switch suppliers — but we still help with tariff optimization, rider analysis, demand-charge mitigation, load-factor improvement, and on-site generation economics. Ask us about your specific utility.
Frequently asked questions
Which states have deregulated energy?
20 states and Washington D.C. offer some form of retail electric choice for commercial accounts, and 26 offer retail natural gas choice. The fully deregulated electricity markets are Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine. California, Michigan, Virginia, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon have partial or capped programs.
What does deregulated energy mean?
In a deregulated (or 'retail choice') market, the generation portion of your energy supply is opened to competition. You buy the electricity or natural gas commodity from a licensed retail supplier of your choosing, while your local utility continues to own the wires or pipes, deliver the energy, and handle outages. Delivery charges stay regulated; the supply rate is negotiable.
Is Texas electricity deregulated?
Yes. Most of Texas sits inside ERCOT and is fully deregulated for commercial accounts, making it the largest competitive retail electricity market in the United States. Areas served by municipal utilities and electric cooperatives outside ERCOT are exceptions.
How do I know if my business is in a deregulated market?
Check your utility bill. If it separates a 'supply' or 'generation' charge from 'delivery' or 'distribution' charges, and names a supplier other than your utility, you are in a deregulated market. Upload a recent bill to our instant audit and we will confirm it in minutes.
Can a business in a regulated state still lower its energy costs?
Yes, just not by switching suppliers. In regulated markets the levers are tariff and rate-class optimization, rider analysis, demand-charge mitigation, load-factor improvement, and on-site generation economics. We advise on all of these.
Which states have deregulated natural gas?
26 states offer commercial natural gas choice. Georgia and Florida run gas-only choice programs, while Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, and Michigan offer both electricity and gas choice. Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, and Wisconsin have gas choice without full electric choice.
Not sure if your state is deregulated?
Upload a recent bill and we'll tell you within minutes — plus flag anything competitive suppliers would immediately negotiate.