Electricity Deregulation vs Telephone Deregulation

Many businesses have been reluctant to look into the benefits of electricity deregulation because of the bad taste that telephone deregulation has left in their mouths.

When the telephone market first became deregulated, changing providers could be a huge headache for businesses.  There were interruptions in service, lengthy contracts, and promised savings that were negated by hidden charges and fees.  So now that electricity markets have become deregulated in states such as Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey, there is a lot of hesitation for companies that are not educated about the logistics to look into an alternative provider.

Unlike the telephone market, the transition to an alternative provider in the electricity market can be extremely easy with no risk.  When an alternative electricity provider is chosen to save money, there are no interruptions in service.  This has to do with the way electricity deregulation is set up.  The lines and wires portion remains regulated by the state.  The same company that has serviced your lines and wires in the past will remain the same.  What has changed is your choice to select who supplies your electricity.  This means that nobody will have to come to you and change any wires or modify your electricity in any way.  The only thing that changes is the rate.

If you have not done anything and are still with your incumbent provider then you are on that provider’s default rate that the state mandates they charge all customers who are slow to choose a competive supplier.  Depending on your state and market conditions, the default rate can be anywhere from 10-30% higher then what a competitive supplier can provide you.

The only way to get off the default rate is to find an alternate provider to lock you in with a lower rate.  Then the alternative electric provider will supply your incumbent provider with the electricity which they will then supply to you.  You will not be able to tell a difference in service nor will you be able to tell when the switch is made because it is seamless.

Another issue that concerns bussinesses is the question of who they should contact if electricity goes out?  The incumbent provider is still regulated by the state and remains your lines and wires (or Transmission and Distribution) company.  They will still be the company to contact in the event that there is a power failure due to whether or other natural disasters.  They will still provide you with the same level of service that they always have, whether you continue to pay the high default rate or find another alternative provider.

There are no addition fees to make the switch from the incumbent provider to another, so there is absolutely no reason a company would not want to look into the benefits of electricity deregulation.  There are substantial saving available that can benefit any business.