Recent measures to restructure the electric power sector in different US states have raised the interest of policy makers, commentators, and the general public as to the actual impact of restructuring on both the economy and the environment. This paper focuses on two aspects of restructuring, namely its potential impact on the efficiency of electricity generation and air pollution. Our empirical results suggest that restructuring contributes to improved efficiency of electricity generation and better air quality through reduced electricity-induced sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, although no effect was found for emissions of nitrous oxides (NOx). These results, in turn could have important implications for policy in this area. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.