42 U.S.C. § 16471: Consumer privacy and unfair trade practices

The Federal Trade Commission may issue rules protecting the privacy of electric consumers from the disclosure of consumer information obtained in connection with the sale or delivery of electric energy to electric consumers. The Federal Trade Commission may issue rules prohibiting the change of selection of an electric utility except with the informed consent of the electric consumer or if approved by the appropriate State regulatory authority. The Federal Trade Commission may issue rules prohibiting the sale of goods and services to an electric consumer unless expressly authorized by law or the electric consumer. The Federal Trade Commission shall proceed in accordance with section 553 of title 5 when prescribing a rule under this section. If the Federal Trade Commission determines that a State’s regulations provide equivalent or greater protection than the provisions of this section, such State regulations shall apply in that State in lieu of the regulations issued by the Commission under this section. The term “State regulatory authority” has the meaning given that term in section 796(21) of title 16 . The terms “electric consumer” and “electric utility” have the meanings given those terms in section 2602 of title 16 .