05/00: The Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) concluded that a competitive electric power industry would not be beneficial to the State's consumers at this time. After several years of hearings and investigation into the benefits of competition, a decision was made to suspend the 1996 docket opened by the PSC to investigate electric power industry restructuring. Prices for electricity in Mississippi were below the national average at the time, and studies conducted by the PSC indicated that prices for residential and small consumers could rise in a competitive environment.

09/98: The first legislative hearing on restructuring the electric power industry was held in September 1998. The Mississippi Senate Committee heard 2 days of testimony on the impact of restructuring the electric power industry. The committee chair said Mississippi stood to gain from electricity deregulation because of its abundant natural resources.

06/98: The PSC issued a Revised Proposed Plan for retail competition that addressed the comments received from industry, consumers, suppliers, and utilities. Hearings were scheduled to be held throughout 1999 to address the issues.

05/98: The PSC issued orders to conduct studies on market power and cost of service.

04/98: The PSC received comments and held hearings on its restructuring plan.

01/98: Entergy Mississippi commented to the PSC that the restructuring plan was overly optimistic and recommended January 2002 as the earliest date to begin retail competition.

11/97: The Public Utilities Staff presented a report to the PSC proposing retail choice to begin by January 2001 and be completed by December 2004, unbundling of services and rates, and recovery of stranded costs to be determined by the PSC. Implementation of the plan would require legislation to be passed by 1999. The report also recommended that the Commission have discretion in recovery of stranded costs, on a utility-by-utility basis, through a wires charge. Exit fees and securitization were deemed anti-competitive and would not be used.

07/97: The PSC issued an order requesting the Public Utilities Staff to develop a plan for restructuring the industry, due by November 1997. The plan, if accepted, would be a basis to draft legislation for 1999.