The competitive residential electricity market in Illinois continues to grow as consumer awareness of energy choice increases. Electricity choice has been steady in the Illinois commercial market, however residential awareness has only seen significant growth in the past year.

All four main utilities in Illinois – ComEd, Ameren I, Ameren II, Ameren III – have seen extreme growth in customer participation over the last twelve months. In July of 2011 the total number of Illinois electricity households buying power from a competitive supplier was just over 54,000 with just over 52,000 of those customers living in the ComEd territory. In July 2012 the total number of Illinois choice customers jumped up to over 800,000 with 527,000 of these customers located in the ComEd service area. The three Ameren areas went from having just below 2,000 shoppers in July of 2011 to over 270,000 in July of 2012.

The huge market growth has been a direct result of low electric rates that competitive energy companies have been able to offer to Illinois consumers compared to the utility default rates. When Illinois electricity consumers do not shop for competitive electric rates they end up paying a default rate for their generation supply service. The default rate, called the price to compare, is determined by several auctions held by the utilities for energy companies who wish to bid for the right to serve a percentage of price to compare customers. Since the Illinois energy choice law allows consumers to switch off of price to compare service and onto a competitive rate at anytime, the energy companies must put a premium on their price bids. The rapid move of customers taking the time to find cheaper electric rates has further increased this premium.

Meanwhile, those customers who do take the time to learn about Illinois electricity choice and compare electricity rates will be able to save a significant amount of money on their electricity bills. Most competitive electricity companies offer single billing which means that the Illinois consumer continues to only get one electric bill from the utility (ComEd, Ameren) that they are used to getting the monthly bill from. The competitive electric rate simply replaces the supply charges, which include generation and transmission, on the electric bill. If the competitive rate is less than the sum of the generation and transmission utility default rate you will pay less and save on your electricity bill.

Find your Illinois utility below and choose a competitive electric rate so you can start saving money!

While the overall electric switch percentages continue to increase in New Jersey, the portion of PSEG customers participating in energy choice has lagged behind that of the other state utilities. The electric switch percentages measures the portion of customers in a service utility area who are taking part in New Jersey electricity competition and buying power from a competitive supplier. Total active New Jersey electricity shoppers increased by 16,772 customers to 458,833 from May 2012 to June 2012.

Out of the three biggest New Jersey electric utilities – PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric – the PSE&G switch rate is the lowest at 11.8% compared to over 16% for the other big two utilities. The gas switch statistics show a similar story with only 6.64% of PGE&G gas customers taking the time to shop for competitive rates. The next largest gas utilities in the state, South Jersey Gas and New Jersey Natural gas, have switch rates of 10% and 8% respectively.

One theory of the lower switch numbers for PSE&G, the states largest utility for both electric and gas, is the complicated utility identification numbers found on the PSE&G bill needed to complete a switch to a competitive supplier. In order to switch to a competitive electricity company, the customer must find their 18 digit electric POD ID number found on their bill. Another similar 18 digit gas POD ID number exists as well on the bill for consumers looking to switch gas suppliers. ElectricRate.com, an energy comparison site, has reported that many PSE&G customers mistakenly enter in their PSE&G account number when attempting to make a switch. Competitive energy companies are unable to complete a switch request with just an account number according to New Jersey Board of Public Utilities rules. Many consumers struggle to find the correct POD ID on their electric bill and give up on making the switch. In some cases, the customer may accidentally give their gas POD ID when signing up for electric service or vice versa.

Customers willing to take the time to find the correct POD ID number on their PSE&G bills will reap the benefits with large energy savings. Below are current competitive electric rates available in the PSE&G service area.

After having seeing a significant rate drop on electricity prices for the summer, PECO electric customers were surprised to learn that their power generation rates are expected to go back up in October. PECO Energy announced the expected rate increase, which will last through the end of the year, on their website in July. The finalized actual rates should be posted in August, but for now the increase will raise generation supply charges by over 18% on the PECO electric bill.

Fortunately customers can get a lower PECO bill by shopping for competitive electric rates through alternative energy suppliers. PECO Energy, who delivers power to the Philadelphia region in southeast Pennsylvania, charges customers who have not selected a competitive supplier a default electric rate. The default rates include the charges on the bill for generation and transmission. When consumers use their right to shop the market and select a lower electric rate, the competitive rate replaces the default generation and transmission charges on the bill.

Customers who have locked in low fixed electricity prices in previous months will not be effected by the PECO rate increase in October. The Pennsylvania electricity market gives consumers the ability to take control of their electric bill. Those consumers who have embraced competitive electricity are reaping the benefits while those who have shied away are paying more to power their homes than they need to. News of the PECO rate increase should provide a reason for many first time shoppers to explore the competitive market and find a low electricity rate.

Atlantic City Electric residential customers paying default rates for their power supply service experienced a rate reduction of 5.7% in June. The Atlantic City Electric price to compare, the price consumers pay for electricity generation service who have not shopped for competitive rates, had been at $0.1224 since February of 2012. On June 1, that rate dropped to $0.1154.

While the rate reduction gives a slight relief to price to compare paying customers, competitive energy suppliers were quick to point out that these customers can save even more by shopping for competitive electric rates with current savings as high as 18% off of the ACE price to compare rate. Through New Jersey energy choice laws consumers have the ability to choose who supplies their home with electricity.

The energy choice laws maintain Atlantic City Electric as a regulated utility for southern New Jersey, responsible for delivering power to homes and businesses within the region. However the generation supply, the cost to produce the electricity at retail prices, is open for consumers to shop for the best prices. Those consumers who do not participate in New Jersey electricity choice automatically pay the price to compare rates offered by their local utility company. Competitive electricity prices provide an easy way for customers to significantly lower their Atlantic City Electric bill. Even after choosing a competitive supplier, Atlantic City Electric continues to deliver the monthly electric bill to their customers. The competitive electric rate simply takes the place of the price to compare supply charge.

Here are some of the lowest current competitive electricity rates in the Atlantic City Electric service territory.