United Illuminating residential customers who have grown tired of rising standard electricity supply rates are turning to competitive prices to lower their monthly power bills.  With the United Illuminating standard default rate changing twice a year and being unpredictable, long term fixed competitive rates have gained in popularity.  The problem that many first time shoppers in the second largest Connecticut utility face is not knowing where they can accurately compare electricity prices.

Comparing electricity suppliers in Connecticut is an easy task that can be completely handled on the computer.  One tool that is becoming increasingly popular to help United Illuminating electric choice shoppers choose and compare rates are one stop shop online comparison sites.  The most informative comparison sites, such as ElectricRate.com, give consumers easy access to compare the lowest United Illuminating electricity rates to the United Illuminating standard offer service.  This allows shoppers to see just how much money they can save by choosing a specific plan.

The benefit of viewing multiple offers at once brings up the competitive level amongst the suppliers to another level.  Upon completion of comparing the options and choosing a rate plan, the switch process begins online without having to worry about scheduling a time for a person to come to your home and change wires.  When the contract comes to an end online comparison sites will provide their customers with the ability to compare and switch to yet another supplier that might be offering an even lower price than the existing competitive supplier is providing.

Often customers choose a plan and when it comes time to renew or find a new plan they get lazy and just stick with whatever their current competitive supplier is offering.  By not taking the time to compare current Untied Illuminating electric rates, the customer is in peril of severely overpaying for their power.  Often competitive Connecticut electricity suppliers offer their lowest rates to brand new customers and present higher prices to existing customers who are coming off of contracts because they know that a large percentage of their existing customers will not take the time to compare.  Good online comparison sites will represent their customers and provide them with updates informing them that their contracts are set to expire and current offers to compare.

Below are daily updated United Illuminating competitive rates that can be compared against the utility standard offer service.

Competition in electricity rates is alive and well throughout Connecticut as we head into 2019. Both major utilities in the state, Eversource Energy and United Illuminating, have announced large price increases in their default standard service rates that will likely result in an increase in shopping activity amongst all customer rate classes. After a rough 2018 which saw little market growth for the majority of companies, competitive Connecticut electricity suppliers are finally able to offer worthwhile savings to customers on their utility default service.

Eversource Energy, formerly Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P), announced rate increases for commercial and residential customers on their standard service rates to go in effect at the beginning of the new year. On January 1, 2019 residential customers in Connecticut who receive an Eversource electric bill will see their electricity generation rate increase by 18.9% which equates to $18.90 more for power for a customer who uses 1,000 KWh a month. The best thing a customer on the standard service rate can do is to start shopping for a competitive Eversource rate offered by a licensed Connecticut supplier. Several competitive electricity suppliers are offering rates that are lower than the default standard service rate which will result in electric bill savings for customers who take action and choose a competitive rate plan.

The new standard service rate is increasing to $0.10143, which will be the first time the rate has surpassed ten cents since the January to June period of 2015. Eversource Energy updates the rate on January 1 and July 1 of each year. Eversource Energy in Connecticut has been able to keep the rate relatively low over the last couple of years which has slowed electricity shopping growth in the state as the incentive for new customers to shop was limited. Now that the default rate is in an upward trajectory, shopping activity is expected to increase. Historic Connecticut standard service rates reveals that the price usually goes up in the January period and down in July. However there is no guarantee that the price will go down on July 1, 2019 as this is not always the case. In fact, in 2017 the default rate actually increased in July from the January period. The unpredictability of what direction the standard service rate will go is another reason for customers to shop the competitive Connecticut electricity market for long term fixed electricity prices. Below are current rates offered by licensed Connecticut electricity suppliers.

Eversource Energy will change their default pricing for residential and commercial customers on July 1, 2018. The current prices have been in effect since January 1 of this year while the new prices will stay in effect through the end of the year. Since Connecticut has gone to an energy choice state Eversource Energy, formerly Connecticut Light & Power, has been updating their default prices twice a year on January 1 and July 1, so the change shouldn’t come as a big surprise to most consumers.

Residential customers will see a small drop in their default price of $0.09078 to $0.08530 while small and medium sized commercial customers will see a modest increase from $0.09304 to $0.09422. Customers who are currently purchasing their power from a competitive electricity supplier will not be affected by the change. The Eversource Energy default rate in Connecticut encompasses the charges that would be imposed by a competitive supplier’s electricity plan. The default price is merely the rate customers pay for electricity service who do not shop for prices available in the competitive energy marketplace.

Since the Connecticut residential electricity market became competitive in 2006 the number of participating customers have fluctuated in correlation with the Eversource Energy default price. When competitive electricity suppliers can offer rates that are below the default price more customers flock towards the electricity shopping experience. However, when the default rate and competitive rates are near the same consumers are less likely to shop. Over the years competitive electricity suppliers have attempted to smooth out the shopping droughts by offering customers with more incentives to shop other than low electricity rates. In addition to savings versus the default price, many competitive suppliers now offer renewable electricity rates and long term contracts that can offer customers price stability.

Switching to an alternative electricity supplier is proving to be a smart move for residential customers of Eversource Energy in Connecticut, formerly named Connecticut Light & Power. In January Eversource Energy raised their generation service rate for their residential pool of customers by 16%, an increase that consumers will start to notice when their February electric bills arrive. The generation service rate is the default price for electricity generation supply that Eversource Energy charges their customers who do not switch to a competitive electricity supplier. The new generation service rate, which went into effect on January 1, 2015, went up to $0.09555 from the previous rate of $0.08228 that had been in effect since July 1, 2015.

Competitive Connecticut electricity prices are coming in below the Eversource Energy basic service rate, resulting in opportunities for consumers to save money. Switching electricity suppliers causes the competitive supplier’s rate for electricity to replace the default generation service rate. Switching electricity suppliers in Connecticut does not affect the quality of the power that the customer receives. Even though customers can switch away from Eversource Energy for their electricity generation, they are unable to leave Eversource Energy as their utility, or power delivery, company.

Taking the time to switch Connecticut electricity suppliers is an easy process that can result in large savings. The actual electric switch process is seamless as no maintenance people need to come to the home to enact the change. Everything involved in the switch process happens through computers without any interruption in power service. Compare competitive offers to the Connecticut Eversource default price below from suppliers who are licensed to sell electricity in the state of Connecticut.

Electricity bills in the Connecticut Light & Power service area are increasingly being reduced due to competitive power rates being offered by alternative CL&P energy suppliers. Customers are lowering the price they pay for electricity by choosing to sign electricity agreements with alternative energy suppliers who are licensed by the state of Connecticut. Choice awareness among the CL&P residential class has expanded in recent months due to rising generation supply rates that are offered by CL&P. Customers who do not choose an alternative CL&P energy supplier pay a default rate for their electricity; that rate recently saw a 25% increase.

Alternative energy suppliers have entered the Connecticut electricity choice market in hopes of gaining market share by offering electricity rates that are lower than the CL&P default price. Energy shoppers are becoming more aware of their options as alternative electricity suppliers have increased their marketing budgets. The infusion of new energy suppliers are helping to educate a larger pool of customers so that they can take advantage of the best CL&P electricity prices being offered that can result in substantial monthly savings.

Whenever rates see a significant increase consumers start to look for alternative solutions. In energy choice states such as Connecticut, the clear alternative is to shop around for a lower electricity rate. Connecticut people who are switching to alternative suppliers for the first time are often surprised as to how easy the process is and wonder why they haven’t done it sooner. The CL&P basic generation charges, the default rate, had remained stable over the last year before January 2015. With stable prices uninterested customers had little incentive to learn about electricity choice and shop the market. Now with savings above 30%, the incentive is there for customers to learn about alternative energy suppliers and their offers.

The price that people pay for electricity in Connecticut is about to take a large increase for many residential customers. Connecticut Light & Power, the state’s largest electric utility, announced that their generation default rate for electricity will increase to $0.12629 in January from the 2014 rate of $0.0999. The increase represents a surge in price of 26% that consumers who remain on the default rate structure will see on their CL&P electric bills in the coming months.

Fortunately consumers of CL&P have the ability to shop for lower Connecticut electricity rates through the state’s energy choice act. Competitive electricity rates offered by alternative energy companies are available that will keep their energy bills under control. The rate hike will only occur for customers who do not shop and choose a competitive rate plan.

The rise in CL&P generation rates has been a trend for the past year. In July 2014 the CL&P default rate increased by 8.2% from the previous rate that had been in effect since January. The new rate that will go into effect on January 1, 2015 is 37% higher than the rate charged to customers in June 1, 2014. The new $0.12629 rate will stay in effect until June 30, 2015, at which point it could go even higher. Locking in a low fixed Connecticut electricity rate will not only offer customers savings right away, but will also provide price certainty for the second half of the year. Below are current CL&P competitive rate offers. Pries are updated on a daily basis.

CL&P has posted a rate increase for their residential customers for the generations portion of their electric bill. The rate increase will take effect on July 1, 2014 and remain in tact through the end of the year. Connecticut Light and Power is the state’s largest electric utility providing power to more than 1.2 million customers. Electricity customers in Connecticut, through the Connecticut Energy Choice Act, have the ability to shop for competitive electric rates from alternative suppliers who are licensed by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.

In 2013, 43% of customers who receive their power from CL&P elected to purchase their power supply form a competitive electricity company. Due to low CL&P default rates, the number of participating electricity shoppers has steadily declined since 2012 reaching its current number at 39.9%. During this time it was difficult for competitive electricity companies to offer rates that were below the default price for electricity. When shopping for the lowest CL&P electricity prices, customers are encouraged to find a fixed rate below the default rate in order to ensure savings on their electric bill. With the CL&P default rate being the lowest fixed rate available during large stretches in 2012 and 2013 many consumers chose to go back onto default service instead of renewing their competitive plan.

Electricity shopping activity is expected to regain its growth due to the CL&P rate increase that will be taking place during the second half of 2014. Residential customers who are on the CL&P default rate will see the price they pay for generation service rise from $0.09235 to $0.0999 per KWH, which equates to a 8.2% increase. The rate increase also comes at a time when competitive electricity companies are seeing wholesale prices stabilize, allowing them to offer competitive electric rates below the default prices.

Below are competitive Connecticut electricity rates offered to CL&P customers. If the fixed rates are below the CL&P default rate the customer will save money on their monthly CL&P electric bill.

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.

The price for electricity generation supply will be less in 2013 for Connecticut Light & Power customers than it was in 2012. The electricity rate, which was above 8 cents for the entire 2012 calendar year, dropped to 7.615 cents on January 1, 2013 and will remain at that price for the entire calendar year in 2013.

The CL&P generation rate is the default electricity rate that consumers pay who have not shopped for competitive power rates. As an energy choice state, Connecticut consumers have the ability to shop and compare electric rates from multiple competitive electricity companies. Those consumer who choose not to shop pay a default rate with their local utility. In Connecticut the two major utilities are CL&P and The United Illuminating Power Company.

While the default CL&P rates have dropped, consumers can save even more by taking the time to shop for lower competitive electric rates. Below are offers from qualified competitive electric suppliers licensed by the state of Connecticut. All electricity rate offers are updated daily.

Energy choice is providing savings for Connecticut electricity customers. Connecticut’s energy choice laws allow consumers to shop for competitive electricity generation rates. Currently competitive rates are being offered that are significantly lower than the local utility (CL&P, United Illuminating) generation default rates.

The utility generation default rates are set for an entire calendar year. As an electricity shopper, if you can find a competitive fixed electric rate that is lower than the default rate (see below) than you can guarantee yourself electricity bill savings. Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating Power Company offer default electricity rates for consumers who are slow to learn about Connecticut energy choice.

The expenses customers pay for default service are actually passed through CL&P and United Illuminating to competitive energy companies who have bid to service the default class. Many people refuse to shop for lower electric rates because they believe that staying loyal to CL&P and United Illuminating will promote the local economy. That thought process is false as the default revenues already go towards competitive energy suppliers. The Connecticut energy choice laws have unbundled the CL&P and United Illuminating so that they now only focus on delivering the power in their regulated local utility territory. Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating Company do not profit from generation supply rates, and therefor do not care if their customer’s shop for lower competitive energy rates.