Thanks to energy deregulation, residents of Auburn, New Hampshire, will be able to save at least 5 percent on their energy bills, given that the city became a customer of a local energy utility.

Energy deregulation has been available in the city since the late 1990s, which gives energy ratepayers an opportunity to choose their provider. Auburn's decision to work with an independent energy company that aggregates individual accounts and approaches suppliers means ratepayers could enjoy savings of up to 20 percent. This is just one example of how deregulation spurs innovative and cost-effective practices.

“Effectively, what we are doing is giving the little guy the same advantage large scale users have had for years,” said Bart Fromuth, managing director of the energy utility. "We will not contract with a supplier unless we can guarantee every member of that group a savings of at least 5 percent compared to what they are paying now."

Energy deregulation is expected to be a hot topic in during an upcoming legislative session in New Hampshire, according to the New Hampshire Business Review.

Many businesses have been moving away from the state utility provider as a result of deregulation, said the source.