For the first time, residential and small commercial customers have access to competitive electric supply rates that are set for periods longer than six months, with new consumer protections not available to individuals in the competitive market.

Like options available to larger commercial customers, small customers enrolled in a stable-rate Community Power program can plan and budget energy costs and efficiency purchases knowing their rates will remain constant for months or years unless they make a change. This is far longer than default service rates offered by the distribution utilities, whose rates change every six months. Customers that invest in energy efficiency measures can save distribution costs as well as energy supply costs on their electric bills for great savings.

Additional reasons to choose a stable-rate program include:

• The Electric Services Agreement (ESA) contract is signed by the municipality with a qualified supplier only once all rates and terms are known.
• Individual customers can come and go from the program without program fees or penalties, effective on their next available monthly meter read date.
• Customers continue to get a single bill from their distribution utility. The program only affects the supply line on the electric bill. Billing, emergency services and delivery continue through the customer’s distribution utility.
• Savings upon launch and over the longer term are goals of our programs, but savings cannot be guaranteed because future utility rates are not known.