Choosing Your Supplier
How to Choose
Just as you can shop and compare vendors before you buy office equipment, telephone providers, or web services, you can now shop and compare energy suppliers. Follow the steps below for a quick way to find an energy supplier that is right for you.
To switch to an energy supplier, contact your chosen energy supplier and let them know you would like to begin buying your energy from them. They will most likely provide you with some type of contract or agreement. Your chosen energy supplier will then provide us with your enrollment information to switch your energy supply provider.
Even if you switch to another supplier, we will continue to:
- deliver your energy
- respond to service and emergency needs
- provide storm restoration services
We encourage you to consider all available energy supply options and determine which one will best meet your needs. For more information, read Having a Choice of Electricity and Natural Gas Suppliers.
How to Shop
Before obtaining prices from Energy Suppliers:
- Know the price you are currently paying for the Supplier Services found on your bill.
- You may also view our past and current costs for Supply Charges by visiting our Meters and Rates section.
Obtain prices from Energy Suppliers. Contact information for participating Energy Suppliers can be found on our Energy Supplier List. When contacting an Energy Supplier, be sure to understand the following:
- What is the term of the contract?
- Are there minimum bill amounts?
- Are the energy prices fixed, or will they change from month to month?
- Does the supplier have a customer service center or website?
- Will the supplier bill you directly, or will charges be included in your current bill?
- Are there any early termination fees associated with the contract?
- Does the supplier offer other useful products and/or services in conjunction with energy supply?
Compare the prices by subtracting our Supply Costs (Step One) from the Energy Supplier prices (Step Two).
To estimate your monthly savings or additional costs, multiply your monthly kWh/therms (from a recent bill) by the savings or additional cost from Step 3. Energy usage can vary significantly from month to month, so this estimate will apply only to that month you have chosen for your example.
Example of This Process:
Electric:
Gas:
Frequently Asked Questions
Lists of suppliers that are eligible to provide energy to customers in our service area are available by visiting Energy Supplier List. You are free to contact the suppliers to compare offers and make a choice.
No. If you do nothing, we will continue to supply your energy and associated delivery services until you choose a competitive supplier.
No. Service quality and reliability should stay the same. You will continue to have access to our customer service representatives during business hours and our crews will still respond to emergencies and power outages.
You will continue to call us in case of an emergency such as a power outage.
It depends on the supplier you choose. You may receive two bills: one from us for the delivery of your energy, and another from your supplier for the energy itself. You may also have the choice of a single bill from us which will contain a separate line for supply charges.
Your savings will depend on several things:
- How much you pay now for the energy you purchase.
- How much energy you use.
- Your agreement with the supplier.
Check the terms and conditions of the contract with your supplier. A customer who chooses to discontinue service with a supplier and wants to resume receiving energy from us can have the supplier return the account to us, or the customer may contact us directly to have the account returned to us.
You must contact a competitive energy supplier. If you and the supplier agree that you will buy your energy from them, they will then contact us to enroll your account.
If your questions relate to the delivery portion of the bill, please contact us. For questions about the supply portion of the bill, call the supplier at the number provided on your bill.
If a supplier ends its contract with you, the supplier must notify both you and us, in advance, that it is no longer your supplier. In this case, you will return to standard rates at your next scheduled meter reading. Should a supplier go out of business or become ineligible, you will be notified and switched to National Grid or another supplier if you select one.
Check the terms and conditions of the contract with your supplier. There is no charge from us for changing a customer's gas or electric provider.
All suppliers must have a complaint resolution process in place. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may want to consider assistance through other dispute resolution services or other legal processes. You may also call the Public Service Commission at 1-800-342-3377 to request assistance in mediating the dispute.
We will continue to read your meter.
In accordance with the PSC’s "Order Establishing Regulatory Policies Regarding Billing" in Case No. 94-E-0952, we are required to provide 24 months of billing history to a customer or authorized ESCo free of charge. Historical billing information that will be provided includes service classification number, metered usage (kWh or Therms), metered demands—for electric only (kW), and Time of Use (TOU) data, if applicable for electric. This information will be provided within five business days of the request. A valid account number or a completed enrollment form, inclusive of a valid account number, will suffice as ESCo authorization.
Yes. An ESCo can only have access to a customer’s historical billing information if the ESCo provides the customer’s account number to us. The ESCo should only be able to get the customer’s account number from the customer. However, if the customer is still concerned about the release of this data for any reason, they may notify us, in writing, that they do not want this information released. We will honor this request until otherwise notified by the customer.
No. Only we are authorized to connect or disconnect your service.