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Deregulation FAQ
Numerous states have already deregulated or are looking into deregulating their energy markets. As a business owner, if you are aware of this opportunity, you can obtain a substantial cost savings for your business. Northeast Energy Partners can help you benefit from the deregulated energy markets by answering your questions.
- What has stayed the same in electric and natural gas service with deregulation?
- What has changed in electric and natural gas service with deregulation?
- With deregulation, will the reliability of my electric or natural gas service change?
- What happens if I have an emergency or power outage?
- Who will the bill come from?
- Does everyone have the option to choose a new electricity or natural gas provider?
- Why use an energy procurement advisor/broker like Northeast Energy Partners?
- Will I notice a change of service when I switch my energy provider?
- What happens if my energy provider stops serving customers?
Q: What has stayed the same in electric and natural gas service with deregulation?
A: Your current Transmission and Distribution Utility, continues to deliver electricity and natural gas to your business. Your local utility company still responds to service interruptions and continues to maintain the poles, wires and pipelines. You will continue to receive the same reliable service you are used to with your local utility company, regardless of which energy provider you receive supply from.
Q: What has changed in electric and natural gas service with deregulation?
A: As a result of deregulation, you can now choose to buy your energy from a different provider than the local distribution company in your area. These competing companies are called retail energy providers and now own the power generation plants.
Q: With deregulation, will the reliability of my electric or natural gas service change?
A: No. Regardless of which energy provider we help you choose, your electricity and natural gas will continue to be delivered safely and reliably by the local utility company which is still regulated by the Public Utility Commission.
Q: What happens if I have an emergency or power outage?
A: Since your local utility company is still responsible for the maintenance and repair of the poles and wires, you would call them in the event of an emergency or power outage.
Q: Who will the bill come from?
A: Once you have chosen an energy supplier, there are two different scenarios that can occur. One is that you will receive two separate bills – one from your distribution company and one from your competitive power supplier. The other scenario would be a single bill – it would be a combined bill that would contain both the distribution company’s charges and the competitive power supplier’s charges. It all depends on the supplier that you choose and their arrangement with the distribution company.
Q: Does everyone have the option to choose a new electricity or natural gas provider?
A: No. City-owned utilities and member-owned electric cooperatives have the option of giving their customers a choice of providers, or keeping things the same.
Q: Why use an energy procurement advisor/broker like Northeast Energy Partners?
A: The answer is simple: we save you time and money. Staying in-tune daily with energy markets, providers, and new opportunities is a full-time job. With Northeast Energy Partners you can capitalize on the benefits offered by deregulation without committing significant time and resources to understanding the complexity of the markets.
We get to know your business and your specific energy needs. Then we negotiate with energy providers on your behalf to get the best rates and options. After you have an agreement with a provider, we continue to service your business, and in case your needs change we are there to renegotiate new agreements that fit those needs. We do all the work. You receive all the benefits, including no out of pocket costs!
Q: Will I notice a change of service when I switch my energy provider?
A: No. No matter which energy provider you choose, your energy will continue to be delivered safely and reliably by the local utility company.
Q: What happens if my energy provider stops serving customers?
A: Rest assured, you would not be without energy. Your local distribution company will continue to deliver energy to your facility. In the unlikely even this were to happen, Northeast Energy Partners would work with you to place you with a new energy supplier as quickly as possible.