| Choosing
Your Residential Electricity Supplier
Maryland
residents are now able to choose who supplies their electricity.
(Customers of municipal electric systems and some rural cooperative
systems are the exceptions - see "Areas
not participating.")
Your local utility, now called your electric company, will
still deliver the electricity to your home, but you can
choose another company to generate the electricity, if other
companies are making an offer in your area.
To
evaluate the price being offered by an electricity supplier,
you will want to compare the supplier’s rate to the rate
charged by your electric company and any other competitive
suppliers that are offering electricity to your area.
Electric
companies in Maryland post their rates for residential
customers on their web sites. See list of electric company
web sites
in the column at left. To
find out about the rates offered by electricity suppliers
in your area you will need to contact
those suppliers
directly.
The Maryland Public Service Commission maintains a
list of licensed electricity suppliers at http://webapp.psc.state.md.us/intranet/supplierinfo/electricsupplier_new.cfm.
For
more information on electric company choice, please visit:
- Maryland
Public Service Commision
www.psc.state.md.us
- Maryland Office of the People's Counsel
410-767-8150 or toll-free 1-800-207-4055
•
Fax 410-333-3616
www.opc.state.md.us for
information
on comparison shopping for electricity suppliers
Advice
for Evaluating Offers from Electricity Suppliers
Take
your time to check out offers. You may
receive offers from electricity suppliers through direct mail,
telemarketing, advertising, and over the Internet. Read offers
carefully and ask the supplier questions. You may have to
commit to a fixed-term contract when you sign up with an electricity
supplier. Therefore,
be sure you like the terms of the offer. Questions
to ask a supplier:
- Is
the energy price fixed or can it fluctuate month to month?
Does it vary by amount used or time of use?
- What
is the length of the contract? Is there an
early termination fee or a switching fee
if you switch to another supplier before
the contract period is over? How much notice
is required to switch suppliers?
- Will
the contract
automatically
renew at
the end of
the term?
How much
notice must
you give
if you don't
wish to renew?
- How
is the
electricity
generated
-
coal,
gas,
nuclear,
hydro,
etc.?
What
percentage
of the
fuel
source
is
renewable,
and
what
are
the
emissions
levels?
- Is
there
a
deposit
or
sign-on
fee?
A
fee
for
late
payments?
Any
other
fees?
- Will
you
be
billed
by
the
supplier
or
by
the
electric
company?
Will
you
receive
two
separate
bills
or
one
combined
bill?
Areas
Not Participating in Electric Competition
Municipal
Systems are not participating in electric competition. These
community-owned, non-profit systems purchase energy wholesale and
pass the savings on to their customers at cost. The municipal systems
in Maryland are:
Berlin
Municipal Electric Company
The Easton Utilities Commission
Hagerstown Municipal Electric Light Plant
Thurmont Municipal Light Company
Williamsport Municipal Electric Light System
Rural
Cooperative Systems: Like municipal systems, these
systems already purchase energy wholesale and pass the savings
on to their customers at cost. The rural cooperative systems in
Maryland which have not implemented choice are:
A&N Electric
Cooperative
Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative
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