Businesses and households in Allentown Pennsylvania have several electricity companies to choose from now that the state of Pennsylvania has been deregulated. Energy choice has given electricity consumers dozens of rate options to choose from, many of which are lower than the local utility default rates.

While citizens of Allentown have choices of who to buy the electricity generation from, they are all forced to receive that power through the electrical grid operated and managed by Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L). PP&L remains a regulated electricity delivery company who also continue to provide Allentown energy customers with their monthly electric bill. PP&L also provides default generation rates for those customers who do not choose an alternative energy supplier.

Pennsylvania Power and Light does not profit from the generation default rate that they charge customers who are slow to adopt to electric choice. Revenues from default service is transferred through PP&L to competitive electricity companies who have been granted the right to served default paying customers through a bid process. This contradicts one of the biggest reasons customers cite for not switching electric suppliers – customer loyalty to PP&L. The Pennsylvania electric choice law prohibits the PP&L utility from offering competitive electricity rates in their utility service area. Another company that falls under the PPL Corporation umbrella, PPL Energy Plus, offers competitive rates in the area. However, customers should understand that PPL Energy Plus is a different company than the PP&L they are used to getting their bill from.

While current PP&L residential default rates are low, competitive electricity rates have been found that are even lower. Commercial default rates in the PP&L area have been extremely high with savings as much as 30% available for businesses who shop for competitive electricity.

Here are current low electricity prices for PP&L residential customers in Allentown (updated daily):

Connecticut energy customers in the state’s largest electric utility, Connecticut Light & Power (CLP), can reduce their electric bills by shopping for competitive electricity prices. CLP is the regulated electric utility for all of Hartford.

Hartford energy customers who do not choose their electricity supplier pay a generation service default rate through CLP. Even though the default generation rate was reduced 14% from 2010 to 2011, even lower electric rates can be obtained for those consumers who take the time to learn about Connecticut electricity choice and find the lowest prices available in the competitive market. CLP remains the power delivery company for all of their customers including those who select an alternative electricity company. The Connecticut energy choice law has unbundled CLP from a full service electricity generation and delivery company to just a regulated electricity delivery company.

Choosing an alternative energy company in Connecticut does not affect the quality of power that you receive. As the local utility company in Hartford, residences will continue to receive their monthly electric bill from CLP even after thy select a less expensive electricity supplier.

Here are the lowest electricity rates in Hartford, CT (updated daily):

The ability to shop for electricity is proving consumers with multiple energy supplier options in Elizabeth, NJ. Taking the time to find competitive electric rates can result in huge savings on the PSEG electric bill.

The most efficient and time saving method to compare electric rate prices is to use an electricity rate comparison website. This allows consumers to instantly compare offers for the lowest rate, term length, and savings amount versus the utility default rate. For some customers shopping for electricity means finding the lowest electricity rate. However, the consumer should also consider how long the rate will be locked in for and how much, if any, the termination fee is.

Often the lowest rate offered will be for longer terms of 18 or 24 months. Locking in the lowest rate for two years might be the best thing for a home owner who is not planning on moving anytime soon. However, for a college student who has just moved into an apartment with a 10-month lease, the better option might be to choose an electricity company offering a low variable rate, or lock in a fixed rate for 6 months which will then change to a variable rate when the six months are up.

Power customers can also shop for renewable electricity offers where the electricity is generated from wind power farms. These electric rate prices might be higher than the lowest electric rate available, however some shoppers are willing to pay the extra charge for the ability to buy green power.

Energy choice in New Jersey has provided customers living in Elizabeth the ability to shop for all of these electricity options and more. The majority of Elizabeth electricity customers have PSEG as their utility company. Even after a competitive energy company is chosen, PSEG will continue to send your monthly electric bill, maintain the lines and wires, and charge you the distribution expenses found on your bill under the “Delivery” section. The delivery prices remain regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and are the same no matter which electric company is chosen to provide you with your competitive supply rates.

Here is a list of current competitive electricity prices for Elizabeth customers who have PSEG as their utility (updated daily):

Chicago electricity customers who are serviced by the electric utility company ComEd are finding low electric rates through the Illinois electric choice laws. For the first time Chicago residential consumers have the power to shop and compare electricity rates and companies. The results have been positive as consumers are finding savings on their electric bills between 10-20% versus the default ComEd electricity rates.

Customers who have not shopped for competitive power pay a default rate for their electricity supply on the ComEd bill. However, this default rate is passed through ComEd to other electricity companies who have won previously held auctions for the right to provide electricity generation service to default paying customers in Chicago and the rest of the ComEd territory. For this reason ComEd actually encourages their customers to shop and find lower electric rates. ComEd’s profits are derived from the delivery (distribution) charges found on the ComEd electric bill. The delivery charges remain regulated by the state of Illinois; no matter who you choose to supply your electricity generation, the delivery charges will remain the same.

Illinois electric choice is about giving the customer lower electric prices and more options including green energy, fixed pricing, and long term price protection contracts. It also requires electricity companies to give the best possible customer service as they compete for market share.

Chicago electricity customers who shop and choose alternative energy companies will continue to receive their monthly bill from ComEd. They will also still continue to call ComEd for power failures and emergencies. Electric choice in Illinois is no the end of ComEd, it has only changed the role they play in the Illinois electricity market. Whereas before they controlled all aspects of the electricity business, now they are only in the business of delivering electricity to their 3.6 million customers. If you are a ComEd customer today you will continue to be a ComEd customer even after you choose who supplier your electric generation service.

Here are some current competitive electric rate prices in the ComEd territory (updated daily):

Residential customers who receive their monthly electric bill from JCPL can find savings above 10% by taking the time to shop and compare electricity rates in the competitive NJ energy market. The New Jersey Electric Choice and Competition act is providing power options for both residential and commercial customers. There are variety of options in the New Jersey competitive market. Customers can choose to lock in a fixed rate for savings and price certainty, or they can choose a variable rate with the option to switch suppliers at any time. Green power options are also being offered because of the NJ Electric Choice act.

Having the power to shop power companies is still a new idea to most electricity customers in New Jersey. Less than 8% of JCPL residential customers have switched electric suppliers despite competitive rates that are more than 10% lower than JCPL residential default rates. New Jersey is hoping that their electricity market matures like the Texas market did over the last decade. In Texas, Houston energy customers can choose between over twenty electric companies and over 50 electric rate offers.

The default rates offered by JCPL are generation supply rates that JCPL charges to customers who have not participated in energy choice. These rates are determined by a series of auctions that begin three years prior to the current current year. In other words, default rates being offered in 2011 are determined by auctions that occurred in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Switching electric companies does not end the customer relationship with JCPL. JCPL remains the electricity delivery company for all of their customers regardless of which competitive electricity generation supply company is chosen.

Energy competition and choice has created low prices options for businesses in Philadelphia. The local utility in Philadelphia, PECO, recently raised their supply default electric rates by 10% on average. The default rates are the PECO price to compare prices businesses pay who have not shopped for low electric rates.

Despite the energy price increases for price to compare customers, competitive electric rates have stayed low despite increased volatility in the natural gas market. Businesses in Philadelphia can lower their electric bill by as much as 25% if they take the time to find low electric rates in PECO.

Electricity shopping is going on in the PECO electric utility region which includes the city of Philadelphia. According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission 40% of PECO commercial customers are receiving their electric supply from an alternative supplier, with 56% of the total electricity consumption going to alternative suppliers. This shows that the highest power consumption customers are the ones doing the electric shopping. Many small businesses are still unaware of electric choice in Pennsylvania. It is these small mom and pop shops that can sometimes use the savings the most, and low competitive electric rates can provide those electric bill savings.

Many people have compared the success of the Pennsylvania electric choice market to that of Texas which is widely considered the most successful energy choice state. Texas, which deregulated their electricity market in 2002, had a 58% switch rate five years after competition began. Today Dallas energy customers have dozens of electricity companies to choose from, including a variety of green power options. After only 7 months of true electric choice, PECO has reached a 20% residential customer switch rate.

Update PECO Commercial Rates: