Electricity choice in New York is providing substantial opportunities for Orange & Rockland customers to lower their electricity bills. Through the New York competitive electricity market, energy companies are offering fixed electric rates to residential customers that are well below the current Orange & Rockland default price to compare. The default rate is the rate for electricity customers pay who do not select a competitive New York electricity supplier.

The Orange & Rockland price to compare changes every month and closely follows the direction of the wholesale electricity market. The price to compare is set every month for the following month; default paying customers will find out how much they will pay for electricity in January during the month of December. The default rates are then locked in for one month, however if the market spikes during that month customers will see it on their bills the following month. Since switching suppliers can often take up to two months, customers who do not lock in long term fixed electricity contracts face the risk of their electric bills growing rapidly.

Even though the default rate is in effect a variable rate, disallowing customers to lock in fixed rates that guarantee themselves savings, the 12-month running average of the Orange & Rockland price to compare gives customers a good reference point when comparing prices. New York electricity residential customers can protect themselves from the potential of rising prices by locking in a fixed electric rate with a competitive supplier. Enrolling with a company offering a variable rate doesn’t make a lot of sense since, like the Orange & Rockland price to compare, the rate you choose will only be in effect for one month, after which can rise substantially.

Below is a list of electricity companies offering low rates to Orange and Rockland residential customers. Compare these prices to the 12 month running average of the Orange & Rockland price to compare to get an idea of how much you might save on your monthly electric bills.

Connecticut Light and Power electricity customers are going to see a 22% increase on their electric bills for the price they pay for power generation supply. The current rate of $0.07573, that has been in place since July 2013, will increase to $0.09235 on January 1, 2014. The rate increase will occur for those residential customers who are not currently on a competitive supply contract from a CL&P Alternative supplier.

CL&P residential customers have enjoyed low default generation rates from the utility over the last two years, which has limited growth in Connecticut’s electricity choice market. In Connecticut, when a customer does not shop for a competitive power rate they pay a default rate with their local utility, which in Connecticut is either CL&P or The United Illuminating Company. With CL&P rates being low over the last two years a lack of incentive existed for customers to get out and shop for a lower electricity rate. However, now that those default rates will be rising by more than 20 percent, electricity shopping in the state is expected to take off.

The competitive energy choice market has remained in tact even after two years of low electric default rates. Now that those defaults rates are rising, competitive electricity companies in Connecticut will attempt to get their brand out there in hopes of acquiring new customers. Connecticut residential electricity rates offered in the competitive market will allow a signifiant relief for those customers who will see their default rates rise in January.

Businesses in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas have the ability to substantially lower their electricity bills if they take the time to shop for competitive commercial electricity rates. The electricity savings are available as a result of a recent rate hike from PECO Energy at the same time that the competitive business electricity market is pushing prices down.

On December 1, 2013 the General Service PECO price to compare rate surged to $0.1016 per KWh. Meanwhile competitive commercial electric prices are well below $0.09 per KWh. The PECO General Service rate is the default electricity rate charged to small businesses who are not purchasing their power from a competitive electricity company.

The rate hike will go into effect for Philadelphia electricity business customers who have not entered into an electricity contract with a competitive supplier. Companies who have previously switched electric suppliers and who are on contract will see no change on their PECO electric bill. To date 50% of all PECO commercial customers are buying their power from a competitive supplier. The 50% who have not taken the time to learn about Pennsylvania business electricity choice are paying more than 25% for electricity generation and transmission service than is necessary. Companies offering low Philadelphia commercial electricity rates are available for these default rate payers to shop and lower their electric bills.

Business owners and decision makers who receive their electric bill from PECO can use the energy price matrix below to shop for competitive commercial electric rates that will provide savings versus the PECO price to compare. Select “PECO” in the Utility box and then select your average monthly electric bill amount to see specific rates for your rate class.