Electricity choice in Pennsylvania allows for alternative power companies to solicit customers who previously did not have choices when it came to who do buy their power from. The program seems to be working as more power companies continue to offer service in the state, resulting in lower electricity prices for energy shoppers.

Electricity customers can compare several rate offers at electricity comparison sites designed to help consumers compare electricity rates, as well as learn about energy choice and current default price structures.

Energy consumers who do not select an alternative supplier pay a default rate with their local utility company (PECO, PPL, Duquesne). The default rates – price to compare – are based on a series of auctions that have previously been held. Choosing a lower priced supplier simply means a lower monthly electric bill, from the same local utility company. Energy choice seems to be working as prices continue to fall, companies expand, and customers adopt to their new choice by shopping. It is becoming more difficult for incentivized politicians to argue against the Compete Coalition, an organization who supports nation wide energy choice programs.

Energy choice is providing savings for Connecticut electricity customers. Connecticut’s energy choice laws allow consumers to shop for competitive electricity generation rates. Currently competitive rates are being offered that are significantly lower than the local utility (CL&P, United Illuminating) generation default rates.

The utility generation default rates are set for an entire calendar year. As an electricity shopper, if you can find a competitive fixed electric rate that is lower than the default rate (see below) than you can guarantee yourself electricity bill savings. Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating Power Company offer default electricity rates for consumers who are slow to learn about Connecticut energy choice.

The expenses customers pay for default service are actually passed through CL&P and United Illuminating to competitive energy companies who have bid to service the default class. Many people refuse to shop for lower electric rates because they believe that staying loyal to CL&P and United Illuminating will promote the local economy. That thought process is false as the default revenues already go towards competitive energy suppliers. The Connecticut energy choice laws have unbundled the CL&P and United Illuminating so that they now only focus on delivering the power in their regulated local utility territory. Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating Company do not profit from generation supply rates, and therefor do not care if their customer’s shop for lower competitive energy rates.

Energy consumers in Illinois are quickly learning that they now have the ability to find savings by shopping for competitive electricity and natural gas prices. The Illinois Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Act of 1997 opened up the energy supply component in the state to choice, allowing alternative suppliers to offer service to customers.

Over the last several years the majority of large businesses serviced by Commonwealth Edison and Ameren shopped for competitive power supply contracts in order to get off high default rates. With falling energy prices, now competitive energy companies are moving in and offering low electricity rates to Illinois residential customers.

Though the supply side of the power business has been deregulated, the utility distribution side is still regulated. This means that no matter which competitive supplier the consumer chooses, the electricity is still delivered by the same regulated utility company that has always serviced them, which in Illinois is either ComEd or Ameren. The Illinois utility companies also continue to manage and maintain the power lines and wires, take the monthly meter read, respond to power failures and other power related emergencies, and send out the monthly electric bill to their customers.

The end result of shopping simply allows for the consumer to find a lower electric rate, or choose to buy a specific generation source for the power they consumer such as wind power. They also have the choice to lock in a fixed rate for a specific term offered by the competitive electric company or choose to ride a monthly variable electric rate. The competition is resulting in abundance of savings for Illinois energy customers.

If you are a ComEd customer, you can find competitive electric rates below (rates updated daily):

Atlantic City Electric customers are finding that they can lower their electric bill by shopping for competitive priced power. The southern New Jersey utility serves over 480,000 residential customers. However with the passage of the New Jersey Energy Competition and Choice Act, the role of Atlantic City Electric has changed.

Prior to New Jersey energy choice Atlantic City Electric was responsible for all phases of power consumption for almost all citizens living in the bottom half of the garden state. This included the purchasing of electricity generation for their customers, and then the delivery of the power to businesses and homes. Atlantic City Electric was also of course responsible for responding to power failures and emergencies, as well as reading the meter and billing.

Now that energy choice is in full effect, Atlantic City Electric still maintains the majority of the roles they had before. They are still responsible for power delivery, responding to emergencies, meter reading, and billing. The aspect that has changed is that they are no longer responsible for buying the electricity generation supply for their customers. Energy choice allows customers to purchase their own generation supply, meaning that they can shop for the lowest electric rate or choose to buy power that comes from a specific generation type, such as wind power.

Customers who do not shop for low electric rates pay a default rate for their electricity supply through Atlantic City Electric. This default rate is determined by auctions held by Atlantic City Electric for competitive energy companies. ACE does not profit from the default rate and instead passes on the revenues to the competitive energy companies who have won the previously held auctions to serve default paying customers. This is why ACE does not care if their customers switch electric suppliers. ACE does not care if their customers pay less for electricity supply because their revenues and profits are derived from the regulated electricity delivery charges.

For customers looking to lower their Atlantic City Electric bill, they can compare electric rates below to find low offers:

Many Pittsburgh consumers are surprised to learn the Duquesne Light is not the only power company in the area. This is because the Pennsylvania electric choice law allows alternative power companies to offer competitive pricing to power users in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area.

Consumers who have not participated in Pennsylvania’s competitive electricity market pay a default rate with Duquesne Light labeled the “Price to Compare”. Regardless of which Pittsburgh power company chosen, Duquesne Light continues to deliver the power to the homes and businesses of Pittsburgh. This is because Duquesne Light is the area’s regulated electric utility company, which means they are responsible for the maintenance and management of the power lines.

Selecting a competitive power company can lower the electric bill for Pittsburgh consumers substantially. Here are some current electric rate offers by Pittsburgh power companies:

Electricity customers approached by sales reps from North American Power should be careful before signing an electricity contract with the supplier. North American Power contracts that offer a variable rate are likely to increase almost immediately. Their contracts do not even guarantee that the rates they advertise on their site will be locked in for the first month.

The company promotes their rates by emphasizing that by choosing them you will be supporting charitable organizations. This is true, however it should be noted that you will be doing this as an extra cost to you, by paying more on your electric bill. You can support these charitable organizations without choosing North American Power as your electricity supplier. By choosing a variable rate with North American Power, you will pay a price for electricity at the company’s choosing.

Current North American Power prices for customers in the Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) territory are listed as $0.0899 per KWh. However, customers in this area are paying $0.0999 cents per KWh on their most recent bill, a price that is even higher than the CL&P default rate.

We strongly recommend not choosing a variable rate for your electricity for the simple reason that the price has no ceiling. In contrast, a low fixed electric rate can guarantee you savings if the rate is lower than your utility’s default price to compare. The fixed rate will be fixed for a set term indicated on the electricity agreement that you choose.

Connecticut consumers continue to benefit from the state’s decision to deregulate their electricity market several years ago. Electric choice in Connecticut is providing energy customers with lower prices and more options when buying their electricity.

Almost everyone in Connecticut is serviced by either Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) or the United Illuminating Company. Prior to CT Energy Choice these two utilities were regulated monopolies of electricity generation, transmission and distribution. The decision to create an energy choice market changed the role of CL&P and United Illuminating Company for their customers. Now they are only responsible for the transmission and distribution of electricity and are no longer in the business of offering generation rates to customers. Consumers can shop for competitive generation electric rates to find the offer that best fits their needs.

Consumers who do not shop for lower electricity prices pay a default rate that is charged by their utility company and regulated by the state. The default charge is determined by a series of auctions that the state holds for competitive energy companies who bid to serve a certain percentage of default paying consumers. While the money for default generation rates are collected by the utilities (CL&P and United Illuminating), the revenues for these charges are passed through to the energy companies who have won the previously held auction. Electricity choice is about customers getting the best deal that they can find, and not settling for a default rate.

While Connecticut has been a very successful energy choice state, the majority of customers are still paying high default electric rates. Less than 40% of CL&P residential customers and only 45% of United Illuminating residential customers have chosen to purchase energy from alternative suppliers. Currently CL&P default paying customers can save 10% on their monthly electric bill by choosing a low cost electric supplier. United Illuminating consumers can save as much as 20% versus their default generation prices.

Unlike the majority of cities in the United States, Houston residences have the luxury of living in an electric choice market. The PUCT oversees the competitive energy market in Texas. The benefits of having multiple energy companies offering you service boils down to better customer service, green energy options, multiple rate products and terms, and above all cheaper electricity prices.

When shopping for the cheapest electricity rates in Houston it is important to look at the whole offer which includes the rate and monthly charge. Many electricity comparison sites list rate offers that are merely estimates if you use a certain amount of electricity per month. If you use less than this amount then you end up paying a higher rate than what was advertised.

Houston electricity customers should also be careful of variable rate options that advertise a low introductory rate. These month to month floating prices are almost sure to increase substantially after the first month. Look below for an easy comparison of some of the cheapest electricity prices in Houston. Prices are updated daily.

Default supply electric rates increased on October 1, 2011 by 18% for residential customers of Atlantic City Electric. The price increase has spurred an increase in electric switch activity in the southern part of New Jersey where Atlantic City Electric is the regulated utility company. While they remain the regulated monopoly for electricity delivery, customers do have a choice of who they buy their power supply from, and currently competitive rates are far lower than the ACE default rates.

The default rate includes all aspects of the electricity generation supply on the electric bill. Switching electric suppliers results in the selected rate replacing the default rate on the bill which is called the basic generation service (BGS) charges.

Atlantic City Electric customers still paying default service with the utility can control the increase by shopping for competitive electricity rates. The New Jersey Electricity Competition and Choice Act gives Atlantic City Electric customers the option to switch electric supply companies. We recommend choosing a fixed electric rate so that you do not have to worry about your rate increasing dramatically, which often occurs with variable rate options.

Electricity prices for Chicago customers serviced by ComEd are becoming more competitive as alternative suppliers position themselves for market share in the country’s third most populated city.

Now that Illinois has a full functioning energy choice market, electricity customers living in Chicago are becoming more aware of their options and terms such as their “Price to Compare”. The Price to Compare represents the rate that customers who do no shop for lower competitive energy prices pay for electric supply and transmission.

Starting in October 2011 and going through May 2012, the Price to Compare for ComEd electricity customers will be 7.733 cents per KWh (6.968 Electric Supply + 0.765 Transmission). If you switch electric suppliers, the electric rate that you choose will replace the price to compare rate of 7.733 on the ComEd electric bill. ComEd continues to send the monthly electric bill to their customers as well as control the meter readings and charge for distribution service. The distribution rates remain regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

In order for a competitive electric supplier to offer service they must first be licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Here are some active competitive electric suppliers offering service to ComEd customers with rates below the Price to Compare: