In the state of Delaware electricity customers are discovering that they are no longer forced to buy their power from Delmarva Power. Delaware competitive electricity has created an abundance of electric rate options that customers can now choose between. However, with recent increases in the Delmarva default Price to Compare rate and tumbling energy prices, the primary reason new shoppers are materializing is to save money.

Current competitive electricity prices in Delaware are yielding as much as 21% savings versus the Delmarva default rate. The Price to Compare default rate includes electricity generation supply and transmission service while the distribution charges that Delmarva Power charges for the delivery of power remains regulated by the Delaware Public Service Commission. Competitive electricity rate plans replace the Delmarva default price, resulting in a lower Delmarva electric bill if the competitive price is below the published Delmarva Power Price to Compare.

Despite an abundance of plans yielding significant savings, the majority of Delaware electricity consumers continue to be on the Delmarva Power default plan. November shopping activity released by the Delaware Public Service Commission show that only 10.33% or Delaware residential customers were purchasing their electricity using a competitive electricity price. Only 28,755 residential customers had elected to leave the default plan while 249,486 customer remain. On the commercial side, more than 33% of business customers have entered into agreements with competitive Delaware electricity suppliers allowing them to purchase their power from an alternative supplier.

Current competitive Delaware electricity prices are below $0.08 per KWh while the Price to Compare remains at $0.0958, where it has been since August of 2016. Since June of 2014 the Price to Compare has averaged above $0.10 per KWh. Alternative offers to the Delmarva Power default price are listed below by electricity suppliers who are licensed by the state of Delaware.

Customers of Eversource Energy living in the Boston and surrounding areas are quickly becoming familiar with the benefits of Massachusetts electricity choice. Competitive electricity suppliers are flocking towards the Boston market offering attractive offers that can save Eversource customers hundreds of dollars per year on their electric bills. The goal is simple for the competitive supplier – acquire as many new customers as possible in what is becoming one of the hottest electricity markets in the country. In trying to accomplish this goal many electricity suppliers are slashing their prices to entice first time Boston electricity shoppers to switch over to their service.

The ability to shop for competitive electricity rates has remained a foreign concept to the majority of Boston residents with switch numbers hovering around the 30% mark. Despite the fact that several companies are offering savings of more than 20% against the Eversource price to compare, seven residential customers out of every ten in the area have elected not to shop for competitive electricity rates. The low shopping numbers are suspected to be caused primarily by a lack of education and understanding of Boston electricity choice laws. Customers who are not participating in energy shopping are often unaware that switching electricity suppliers is an easy automated process that does not require the power to be turned off or repair personal to visit the customer’s property. The electricity switch process is unlike switching cable providers or cell phone carriers which can often require a consumer to dedicate hours to complete the process. In contrast, switching electricity suppliers in Boston can be done in less than five minutes by using an electricity price comparison website.

In order to entice consumers to shop for electricity rates, companies need to offer a price that is below the Eversource price to compare. Eversource Energy is the regulated utility company for the city of Boston and surrounding suburbs. As a regulated utility they are responsible for delivery power to all properties within their service area at distribution rates that are regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Eversource Energy’s role as a regulated company is often a source of confusion to consumers who are being told that Massachusetts is now an electricity choice state. To clarify, it is the electricity generation or supply component that is open to choice, while the delivery of the power remains regulated.

In addition to charging their customers regulated distribution charges, Eversource Energy also charges a default generation rate to their customers who do not switch to a competitive Boston electricity supplier. Currently they are charging this rate to about 70% of their residential customers. When a competitive supplier can offer a rate below the default price to compare rate, they are able to advertise the difference as the amount of customer can save by switching. Eversource Energy is also responsible for invoicing their customers, even the ones who have elected to purchase their power form a competitive supplier. When a customer switches suppliers they still receive their monthly Eversoruce electric bill. The only difference is that the competitive supplier and rate is listed in the electricity generation supply portion of the electric bill. The distribution or delivery section of the bill remains the same regardless of whether of competitive supplier was chosen. Below is a list of some of the more competitive rate offers available in Boston compared to the current Eversource price to compare default rate.

Residential electricity customers who receive their electric bill from Met-Ed in Pennsylvania have the opportunity to save money on their energy costs by shopping for lower electricity prices. With all of the fancy energy savings products available – including LED lights, better insulation materials, and solar panels – the easiest way to lower the Met-Ed electric bill remains the simply action of comparing electricity rate offers from competitive electricity suppliers.

Met-Ed, which is short for Metropolitan Edison, is only the fourth largest utility in the state of Pennsylvania providing electricity to right around 561,500 customers. However the service area has recently gotten a lot of attention from competitive electricity suppliers licensed in Pennsylvania due to a large gap that exists between the Met-Ed price to compare rate and the rate that the suppliers can offer. The Met-Ed price to compare rate is what the utility charges their customers for electricity supply who do not choose to purchase power from a competitive supplier. By choosing a competitive rate, the price to compare rate becomes obsolete. The difference between the two rates can result in a substantial savings opportunity for Met-Ed customers.

The unbundling of Meted allows consumers to power shop from dozens of competitive electricity companies now offering electricity supply service. The popularity of electric rate shopping is expanding as family and friends are spreading the word on the benefits of electric choice. As of December 2015, 31.8% of Meted residential customers were buying their power from a competitive supplier. As the fight to gain market share and brand recognition continues, consumers will find it easier to shop around for cheaper rates and better incentives.

Compare competitive Met-Ed electricity rate offers below from suppliers who are licensed by the state of Pennsylvania.

Energy choice in the state of Massachusetts has been active for the last several years, but for the most part has remained under the radar. Educated consumers who were aware of the choice laws may have participated by locking in a low electricity rate with a competitive Massachusetts electricity supplier or even elected to purchase power derived from renewable resources through the choice market. However, for the majority, energy choice hasn’t been a concern as the competitive rates haven’t offered significant savings off of the local utility default rates; that is about to change in a big way for Massachusetts residences who receive their power from National Grid.

On November 1, 2014 National Grid electricity customers will see the rate they pay for power supply increase by as much as 100%, depending on their rate structure. The 100% increase is not a typo, many National Grid electricity customers in Massachusetts will see their monthly electric bills double due to a rate increase. The rate increase can be avoided, or managed by consumers who search for competitive residential Massachusetts electricity rates as the rate spike will only effect customers on the default basic service rate.

National Grid in Massachusetts offers a default electricity rate for those consumers who have not elected to participate in finding a competitive choice rate. The official name for the default rate is the basic service rate, and it is this rate that will be increasing on November 1, 2014. Basic service customers are either on a fixed rate structure that changes every six months, or a variable rate structure that changes every month.

Massachusetts electricity customers who are on the National Grid basic service fixed rate will see their electricity supply rate increase from $0.08277 on October 31, 2014 to $0.16273 on November 1, 2014 if they do not select a competitive electricity rate plan. The $0.16273 is set to remain in tact through April 30, 2015. Locking in a competitive fixed Massachusetts electricity rate that is lower than the $0.16272 will provide some savings right away, and may protect consumers from another rate increase that could take effect in May of 2015. Customers on the National Grid basic service variable plan do not have it much better as the expected price will get as high as $0.22067 in January 2015

Residential electricity customers in the Meted service area in Pennsylvania saw their utility price to compare rate increase by twenty-five percent in the summer. This sharp price increase made room for competitive electricity suppliers in the area to offer prices that were significantly lower than the default rate, yielding double digit savings opportunities. As the summer comes to an end, those saving opportunities still exist for Meted consumers who have remained on the high Meted price to compare.

Despite the fact that competitive Pennsylvania electricity suppliers are offering rates with savings of as much as 17% versus the Meted default price, only 35.7% of residential customers in the area have selected a competitive offer. Customers who are skeptical of selecting a competitive electricity rate should know that all competitive rate plans are offered by electricity suppliers who are licensed with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. In addition, even after the switch is made, customers will continue to receive their electric bill from Meted. Instead of being charged the current Meted default rate of $0.09725, the competitive rate would be charged instead, allowing the customer to save whatever difference is yielded.

Current competitive offers in Meted from electricity suppliers licensed by the state of Pennsylvania can be found below. All rate plans are updated in real time.

CL&P has posted a rate increase for their residential customers for the generations portion of their electric bill. The rate increase will take effect on July 1, 2014 and remain in tact through the end of the year. Connecticut Light and Power is the state’s largest electric utility providing power to more than 1.2 million customers. Electricity customers in Connecticut, through the Connecticut Energy Choice Act, have the ability to shop for competitive electric rates from alternative suppliers who are licensed by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

In 2013, 43% of customers who receive their power from CL&P elected to purchase their power supply form a competitive electricity company. Due to low CL&P default rates, the number of participating electricity shoppers has steadily declined since 2012 reaching its current number at 39.9%. During this time it was difficult for competitive electricity companies to offer rates that were below the default price for electricity. When shopping for the lowest CL&P electricity prices, customers are encouraged to find a fixed rate below the default rate in order to ensure savings on their electric bill. With the CL&P default rate being the lowest fixed rate available during large stretches in 2012 and 2013 many consumers chose to go back onto default service instead of renewing their competitive plan.

Electricity shopping activity is expected to regain its growth due to the CL&P rate increase that will be taking place during the second half of 2014. Residential customers who are on the CL&P default rate will see the price they pay for generation service rise from $0.09235 to $0.0999 per KWH, which equates to a 8.2% increase. The rate increase also comes at a time when competitive electricity companies are seeing wholesale prices stabilize, allowing them to offer competitive electric rates below the default prices.

Below are competitive Connecticut electricity rates offered to CL&P customers. If the fixed rates are below the CL&P default rate the customer will save money on their monthly CL&P electric bill.

Residential electricity customers in the PECO Energy service area will see a rate increase that will go into effect on December 1, 2013. The rate PECO customers pay for power supply, which includes generation and transmission charges, will increase from a current high rate of $0.0935 per KWh to an even higher $0.0972. The 4% increase comes at a time when residential customers in the area can find competitive power rates under $0.08 per KWh.

Competitive power companies in Pennsylvania have been able to offer lower electricity rates to PECO consumers since 2011. The PECO rate increase that will go into effect in December is only for residential consumers who have not shopped for competitive electricity rates. These customers pay a default rate that is determined by an auction process. Competitive rates, which are based on the energy wholesale buying strategies of competitive energy companies, have been able to offer attractive electric rates well below the PECO default rate.

At this point in time only about 31% of residential PECO customers are participating in Pennsylvania electricity choice by purchasing their power supply from a competitive electricity supplier. With current competitive prices yielding 19% savings versus the December 2013 PECO default rate there is no reason for a default paying customer to not start power shopping. The rate increase is expected to give a slight boost in competitive electricity company sales, however there is really no reason for everyone in the south eastern part of Pennsylvania to take five minutes and find a price plan that will substantially reduce their electricity bills. Online energy price comparison sites have made it easy for PECO customers to compare electricity rates on one platform. While many people just want to get the lowest possible fixe rate that is available, some consumers might opt to pay a slightly higher price in order to lock in a longer term so that they are protected from future price increases like the one about to take place. The online energy price comparison tool allows consumers to quickly compare prices and make a strategic decision.

Below are the lowest fixed electric rates available for PECO Energy customers. We recommend locking in fixed rate as opposed to a variable rate option as variable plans have been seen rising rather rapidly after the first month of service. Even though you can switch suppliers if the variable plan rises, it still takes up to two months for the switch to take place which will leave you in limbo with the variable price supplier free to charge whatever they want.

Though Pennsylvania has had an active energy choice market for several years, only recently have customers living in the Meted utility service area seen the benefits. As a result of rising Meted generation and transmission rates, competitive electricity suppliers have started offering low electric prices to customers with properties in the Meted service area.

As the fourth largest power utility in Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Edison serves over a half million residential electricity customers, all of which are now able to shop and compare Met-Ed electricity rates in order to save money. Many competitive energy suppliers were slow to enter the Met-Ed market because the default rates in the area had been low over the past couple of years. This price environment did not allow for competitive rates to offer savings to Met-Ed consumers which is often needed in a newly deregulated market in order to stimulate shopping. With the default rate recently increasing and competitive power rates dropping, the opportunity for competitive electricity suppliers has finally arrived and the result has been lower Met-Ed electric bills for consumers who take the time to power shop.

Current competitive electricity rates are providing significant savings to Met-Ed residential electricity customers. The switching process in Met-Ed simply requires a consumer to choose a competitive electric rate and enroll either online or by phone. Once the switch request is in you can expect the new electric rate to kick in at the next available scheduled meter read date. After that you simply get your Met-Ed electric bill as usual with the competitive electric rate replacing the Met-Ed default price to compare rate.

Energy choice is bringing thousands of consumers lower energy bills in cities across the country who have embraced electricity and natural gas competition. Some areas are seeing larger savings dependent on a number of issues including how the specific state’s energy choice bill was written and how the local utility purchases their power supply for default paying customers, or consumers who are slow to shop for lower competitive electric rates.

Pennsylvania electricity customers in the Duquesne Light area are seeing some of the best electric rate shopping opportunities in the history of energy choice. Duquesne Light delivers power to over 560,000 residential customers in western Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area and suburbs. Customers in this area who remain on the Duquesne Light Price to Compare – the default rate structure that non-choice participants pay for power – can enter into an fixed electric rate contract with a competitive supplier that is over 30% lower; simply put, they can save over 30% on their Duquesne Light electric bill.

To date, over 44% of Duquesne Light residential customers have taken the time to search, find, and compare electric rates. These customers are enjoying electric bills that are 30% lower than if they hadn’t taken a few minutes to search for the best Duquesne Light electric rate. All else considered, the switch percentage in western Pennsylvania is healthy and high enough to ensure that Pennsylvania electric choice remains constant in the state. However, this also means that close to 56% of the residential electric bills that Duquesne Light sends out every month are missing out on a huge savings potential.

Here are a list of some of the best Duquesne Light electric rates, updated everyday:

Residential electricity prices will be increasing on April 1, 2013 for PECO Energy customers who have not shopped for a competitive electric rate. The current PECO price to compare rate – which includes power generation supply, the alternative energy portfolio standard charge, and transmission charge – of $0.0869 will increase to $0.0959 on April 1st, an increase of nine-tenths of a penny or 10.4%.

The rate increase will only occur for PECO Energy customers who are on default electric service. Default customers are those consumers who have not taken the time to shop for a lower electricity price from a competitive electricity company. As of January 16, 2013, 69% of PECO Energy customers remain on the PECO default service. The 10.4% increase on April 1st is expected to increase the number of PECO electricity shoppers as competitive energy companies are offering low electricity rates below even the current default prices.

The 31% of PECO Energy customers who have participated in the Pennsylvania electricity choice market will not be affected by the PECO electricity rate increase. Consumers who have locked themselves into low fixed electric rates can take pride in the fact that while the PECO electric bill will increase by 10% for the majority of their neighbors, their bills which most likely are already lower, will not see a rate increase.

One of the greatest benefits of Pennsylvania electricity choice is that it brings rate product choices to consumers. Many of the Pennsylvania consumers who have participated in electric choice have opted to select fixed rates that last a year or longer. This strategy has proved to be beneficial with the recent news of utility default rates increasing. Not only will selecting a fixed rate save you money in the near term, but it can help you save even more throughout the year as PECO adjusts their default Price to Compare.

See below for a list of competitive PECO electric rates that are apples-to-apples comparisons to the PECO default price to compare.