The time and energy that it takes to compare electric rates can be overwhelming for some.  However, with a little research and education, customers in Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Connecticut can lower the cost of their electric bill by comparing electric rate offers from electricity companies against the electric rates of the local utility.

Electricity customers attempting to compare electric rates should look at a few key elements for every offer:

1. Is the electric rate fixed or variable.  A fixed rate will secure the electric rate for a set period of time as stated in the electricity contract.  Variable electric rates will usually have low introductory offers, but will contain to guarantee as to how high the rate can go.

2. Meter charge.  A large meter fee (anything above $5) can make a rate appear low when really the electric company is just charging you more in another area of the bill.  The average size house uses about 1000 KWh a month.  A rate of $0.09 per KWh will equal a $90 bill.  Adding a $10 meter charge would be the equivalent of adding a whole penny ($0.01) to the rate.  So a $0.09 cent rate with a $10 meter charge is the same as a rate of $0.10.

3. Is any proportion of the energy you buy derived from green energy sources? Some people are only concerned about the price, but if you are interested in helping you environment you can request a portion of your energy to be generated from green energy (usually wind power).  There are 100% wind power electric contracts available, but usually you will be rate that is a little higher.

These are three of the main things to consider when taking the time to compare electric rates.

For a list of pre-screened electric rate offers, visit our ELECTRICITY PRICES section to find low electric rates in your state.

Electricity customers in Dallas and the surrounding cities have more options with electric companies than ever before.  The electricity market is in full swing for commercial, industrial and residential energy users.

Due to low natural gas prices, residential customers are signing electricity agreements with electric companies at all time low rates.  However, many people are still over paying on their electric bill.  The main reason for the price discrepancy lies in the fact that just two short years ago electricity rates in Texas were at an all time high.  During those months in 2008 many customer signed electricity rate contracts at prices that were twice as high as they are today.  As many of those contracts expire, electric companies continue to charge the higher electric rates assuming that their customers will not shop for lower rates.

Customers that do shop and compare Dallas electric companies will find low electric rates that can cut their electric bill in half.  In order to attract customers some electric companies are offering other incentives on top of the low electricity rates

Here are some current low electric rate offers from Dallas Electric Companies (updated daily):

Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) residential customers are finding lower electric rates in the Connecticut competitive electricity market.  Many CL&P residential customers have still not switched electricity suppliers because they are unaware of the savings and benefits of shopping for low electric rates.

Many electricity customers who have not switched are not well informed on the details of the Connecticut Electricity Restructuring Act.  The act allows for CL&P and United Illuminating (UI) to continue to control the delivery of the power and the billing.  These utility companies only offer supply electricity rates as a default service.  Connecticut customers who do switch electric companies continue to receive their monthly electric bill from CL&P, or UI, but instead of paying the higher default supply electric rate, they pay the new lower rate that they signed for with the alternative electricity company.

Visit our Electricity Prices page for current electric rates in Connecticut.

Both offers can be chosen online.  The fixed electric rate will require a commitment of 6 months.  The variable rate has no commitment, however the rate can go up at anytime.  We recommend the fixed rate offer at this time.

Electricity customers who are serviced by Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed) are preparing to shop the competitive electricity market for the first time.  On January 1, 2011 electric rates for Met Ed customers, that had previously been capped, will expire giving customers the option to stay on the Med Ed default supply price or shop the market for lower electric rates.

It is expected that Met Ed customers who compare electricity rate offers from electricity companies will be able to save money versus the Met-Ed default price to compare rates.  Electricity shopping will result in lower electric bills for those electric customers who are able to lock in lower electric rates than the new Met Ed rates.

Met Ed residential customers should take the time to compare all electric offers.  It is expected that some electric companies will offer residential Met Ed customers variable rates that fluctuate with market rates, while other electric companies will offer fixed electric rates for up to two years that will give households price protection.  Other markets in Pennsylvania have seen low variable introductory rates followed by immediate spikes.  Sometimes a slightly higher fixed electric rate will save you a lot more in the long run compared to a lower variable electric rate.

Met Ed commercial and industrial customers will be given a variety of electricity rate options.  As Met Ed moves from a regulated environment to a competitive market, it will be extremely important that businesses take the time to educate themselves on all of their electricity supply options.  The right choice can save them thousands on their electricity bills.

On January 1, 2011 the majority of the state of Pennsylvania will have completed the transition to a completely deregulated electricity market.  When 2010 ends Pennsylvania’s largest utility PECO, as well as several other utilities, will have their capped rates expire.  At that point it will make sense for many Pennsylvania electricity customers to shop for lower electric rates versus the utility default rates.

Currently, residential customers in PPL are finding saving up to 15% by comparing electricity companies offers.  Some business customers in the PPL territory are saving as much as 40% off of the PPL default price to compare rates.

The electric savings potential isn’t expected to be as much in PECO as it has been in PPL, however solid savings should exist.  PECO energy customers will continue to receive their electric bill from PECO and continue to receive lines and wires maintenance service from the utility.  The only difference that will occur for PECO energy customers who switch electric companies will be the lower rate they see on their bill.

Commercial electric customers in PECO are already getting offers from licensed electricity companies.  Residential PECO customers will start seeing options as 2011 gets closer.

Here is what we found for Pennsylvania Residential Electricity Prices:
PECO Rates

PPL Rates

Residential power customers are seeing the benefits of electricity deregulation first hand as the electric bills for those electric consumers who have shopped the market are dropping.  Connecticut electric companies are allowing customers to save on their monthly electric bills by offering lower electric prices compared to the default Connecticut electric rates.

CL&P and UI, the incumbent Connecticut Electric Utilities, offer high default electric rates known as the “price to compare”.  The Connecticut Electric utilities do not profit off of the default rates but are mandated to offer the rates to those electric customers who do not choose another Connecticut electric supplier.

Those Connecticut electric customers who do compare electric offers, both residential and commercial, are seeing significant savings on their electric bill.

Connecticut electric residential customers can save an easy 11.5% by locking in a rate with MX Energy of $0.0979 /kwh compared to the residential default rate in the CLP territory of $0.011051.

Positive Energy offers a “no contract” option with a current introductory rate of $0.1006 /kwh.  The no contract option allows you to leave Positive Energy service anytime and go back to the CLP default rate if you wish to do so.

The Connecticut Electric utilities continue to bill the electric customers and control the lines and wires.  When Connecticut electric customers choose another electric supplier, the only thing that changes is the actual rate they pay, everything else from billing to service remains the same.

For electricity business options in Connecticut, email us for a comparison sheet and savings analysis.

Electricity prices in Houston and its surrounding cities have dropped to low levels.  When Houston residences compare electric companies they can find fixed electric rates under 10 cents per kilowatt hour for up to twelve months or even lower electric rates for shorter terms.

Houston commercial electric rates are in the six cent per kilowatt hour range for one year terms.  Just two years ago many commercial electricity customers were signing fixed electric rate contracts above 10 cents.  Though current longer term contracts (24 and above) are a little higher than short term (12 months and under) rates, many businesses are signing longer term electricity contracts in order to protect themselves from the potential of rising electricity costs in the coming years.

The electricity market is unpredictable causing many commercial electricity customers to want to limit their risks by locking in the lowest electric rate they can for the longest period of time.  The alternative can be seeing their electric bills double in a very short time period.

Residential electric customers in Houston are taking the same strategy signing fixed electric rates for as long as electricity companies will allow, which is usually 24 months.

Here are the lowest electric rate offers that we found in the Houston area:

Centerpoint area –

If you are living in Texas and have noticed in recent months that your monthly electric bill has become higher, it may be time to start looking for a new electricity contract.  The reason for the recent upswing in your electricity bill may very well be due to the fact that your old electricity rate contract has expired.

The Texas electricity market is the most active deregulated electric market in the country.  However, what many Texas electric rate payers do not understand is what happens in many cases to their rates when their electric contract expires.

Usually a person will sign a fixed rate electric contract for a set term, for example twelve months.  When the contract expires, the electricity company chosen by the customer will continue to service the customer usually on a marked up rate.  The longer you go without signing a new contract, the greater the chance your rate will continue to rise.

Electricity customers have thousands of “rolling customers” on their books.   Rolling customers are customers who have expired contracts.  The electricity company continues to serve the customer but instead of charging a fixed rate, they are able to charge almost anything they want, as stipulated in the original contract.  At the point it become a game of economics for the electricity company.  They try to determine what the maximum rate is that they can get away charging you before you will look for a new competitive rate.

Right now electricity rates are very low.  If you are paying over 10 cents per kilowatt hour you should look into securing a lower fixed rate.  Champion Energy is offering low fixed electric rates below 9 cents for customers in Texas.

Recently, we helped customers who were previously with TXU get off of rates as high as 15 cents transferred onto fixed rates of 8.6 cents, a 43 percent savings; all because the customers had gotten “comfortable” with TXU who raised their rates over time to well above the current competitive electric rates.

Connecticut Light and Power (CLP) customers can reduce their home electricity bills by finding a cheaper electric rate for the supply section on their electric bill.  There are still a number of Connecticut residences who are unaware of their electricity choice options.

For CL&P residential customers, you can find your competitive electric rate underneath the section “Supplier Service Detail”.  If it says “Generation Service Charge $0.11051 then you are paying the CL&P default price to compare rate.  This is the rate that you should compare against alternative electric rate offers.

Compared to the default rate, MX Energy is offering the lowest fixed electric rate at $0.095.  This represents a savings of 14% that you can save on your monthly electric bill by taking the time to compare electricity companies.  CLP continues to manage the delivery of the power and will also continue to send out the monthly electric bill even after you choose a lower electric rate.

Connecticut set up their deregulated electricity market so that the Utilities (CLP and UI) do not care if their customers leave their default service and choose an alternative electric company.  Connecticut Light and Power, as well as United Illuminating Company, receive their profits through the delivery charges on your bill which are still regulated by the state.

For the lowest fixed rate in Connecticut, click here and type in your zip code.