Picking Your Own Energy Supplier "POWER YOUR WAY"

[samksy]

Is it worth picking your energy supplier? Using CON ED now, is it worth switch to another energy supplier? If you are using another energy supplier, what?s your experience, did you end up paying less, more. What should I look for in picking an energy supplier.

 

[fishman1069]

Tagging along. I freaking hate Lipa!

 

[masterswimmer]

I'm tagging along as well.

What I've seen is a couple of variations to the rates Orange & Rockland offers. Some offers come through as a variable rate and therefore their delivery charges vary monthly. I'm guessing some months will be higher and some will be lower than O&R.

Other companies offer a 6 month or 1 year contract price. Obviously this can also translate into possible savings.....or not.

I haven't switched because it seems like a crap shoot so why not stick with O & R. Nobody has offered a guaranteed savings on every bill. Might be less to start, for a few months, but after that it becomes very suspect, IMO.

I'd like to hear from those who've switched and have at least 6-8 months under their belt with the new supplier.

Russ

 

[edd]

if you choose a different supplier, the only thing that changes is what you pay per kilowatt.
the independents rate is always fluctuating. sometimes as much or more than your supplier. to me it wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[ecvernon]

I have had family that has done it. There are small savings but the bill will almost be similar because of the delivery charges which is most of the bill

 

[roc5288]

I did it here upstate. Don't see any change. In fact thinking of just going back.

 

[samksy]

Thanks for all the reply guys...I have been thinking using one of those engery supplier, these guys have been knocking on my door several time and keep trying to sell me the point, you pay less if you use their their company, and you won't be paying this fee, that fee and etc....but just seems too good to be true. Even thinking of getting solar panel....lol but looking at the cost, forget it. Okay, staying with Con ED for now, unless there's we have more people here switching over and they are having a positive side to it...lol! Con ED is horrible, but maybe not so horrible after all....lol! At least i still have electricity during hurricane sandy and Irene.

 

[beerfish]

There are small savings but the bill will almost be similar because of the delivery charges which is most of the bill

I once told them that I didn't want to pay for delivery anymore and asked where I could pick up my electricity. If you can play it with a straight face, the reaction on their end is priceless.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Go solar. They pay you back for the energy you put back into the grid.

 

[ecvernon]

I once told them that I didn't want to pay for delivery anymore and asked where I could pick up my electricity. If you can play it with a straight face, the reaction on their end is priceless.

Hilarious. I have to try that when they come knocking on my door next time

 

[samksy]

i once told them that i didn't want to pay for delivery anymore and asked where i could pick up my electricity. If you can play it with a straight face, the reaction on their end is priceless.

lmao!!!!

 

[tosiek]

We switched over to Green Mountain Energy like a month and a half ago. We heard great things about them and their rates not jumping around like crazy every month compared to Con Ed/National Grid and they say that the majority of their electric comes from green/renewable sources. We have a few friends that switched over more than a year ago and said their rates and consequently their bills were noticeably lower especially during the summer months when con ed likes to double to triple their KW prices here in NYC.

I'm sold at a consistent KW rate year round. I used to feel violated opening my con ed bills during the summer. :sad2: Now if I could only find a way to get rid of the ridiculous fee's con ed tacks on for doing nothing.

 

[masterswimmer]

Tony, would love to hear a month to month evaluation of Green Mountain as you go forward. A month and a half of history is not nearly as reflective as needed to base an opinion. The reality of it is, you've only been with GM for one billing cycle.

The thought of switching is very enticing. My problem is multi-level. First, reading the bill we receive monthly from O & R is like trying to decipher hieroglyphics. Even with the 'laymans' definitions on the back of our bill I still don't understand their gibberish.

The next issue is how to compare the month to month bill we would receive from the new energy supplier. Since our bill, like everyone else's, varies so much monthly that I wouldn't even know if the new supplier was charging more or less than our current supplier. Since one bill stops when the other starts, how do you know your current supplier is charging less than your previous supplier? It is beyond confusing. Here are a couple of billing line items on our electric bill and the associated definition on the back of the bill 'explaining' the charge:

- Forecast Mkt Sup Chg and Mkt Supply Chg Adj (these are two separate charges on the bill yet one definition on the back of the bill) - recovers electric supply costs incurred by O&R on behalf of its full service customers. The Forecast Market Supply Charge reflects market prices, while the Market Supply Charge Adjustment reconciles differences between prior period electric supply costs incurred by O&R and recoveries from its customers.

- Merchant Function Charge - for full service customers reflects certain costs associated with procuring electricity, and procuring and storing natural gas, as well as costs incurred by the company related to the credit and collections activities and uncollectible accounts.

I think they purposely word these things to be as confusing and vague as legally possible.

Russ

 

[beastium]

Ever hear of ambit

 

[masterswimmer]

Ever hear of ambit

Just ran my zip code, residential electric through their savings calculator and they come up with a whopping 1% savings for me. Can't really justify a switch for 1% and that is variable no less. :banghead:

Russ

 

[FocusReefing]

We switched to empower and they were cheaper for the first 2 months. Then the rates jumped up and became higher then con eds. After calling to find out why, they agreed to just charge us a fixed rate which is the same rate as con Ed. In the end it turned out to not even be worth the time spent on hold. Should've just stayed with con Ed to begin with. But that was just my experience. I'm sure there are others who've had better.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Everyone loves to blame con Ed for everything, yet the brown outs and black outs in areas(mainly Astoria) are due to the builders of apartment buildings everyone lives in.

They buy 2 or 3 single family homes and build a 77 unit apartment building and expect the same wiring that supported 3 families to support 77 all with air conditioners in almost every room that has a window.

Also people dont follow the guidelines laid out over the radio as well as tv on how to use your a/c during the hottest season. Instead of only turning it on once you get home people leave them on all the time. Granted I do the same sometimes so I come into a nice cool place here but my wiring can handle the load.

Also from being FDNY for 11 years I saw first hand the response times by their emergency crews. It rarely took over an hour when a manhole fire happened. Pretty good if you ask me.

Their response time is faster than LIPA which is now national grids is.

Also what it comes down to is that no matter who you use it's still con Ed in the end because they own the wire your new provider will use and it will still be them who you have to rely on to fix issues. Only change is now you have 2 companies involved with problem solving and you better hope your new provider is on good terms with Con Ed because theyre at the mercy of them. If theyre not on good terms and the problem is after the pole or at your pole for your house good luck getting Con Ed to respond. Con Ed also is still in charge of the distribution. It's the same with phone companies in the city, the other providers simply "rent" the copper from the phone company.

Grass always seems greener on the other side- that is until you look at it straight on, then you realize it's the same shade of brown you have, just with more landscapers in charge of maintaining it.

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

I'm using veridian cause a friend of mine told me about it and I did see the difference :

con Ed still charges for delivery but the rates are lower and locked in for 3 months at a time I believe and they contact you with the new rate( so far it was always less than con eds current rate , August for example was 13% and veridian gave me 6% that made a nice difference with 3 ac units running , also con Ed also does the service calls for veridian and your bill is still sent by con Ed so in that aspect you don't see a difference and you do save , but that ridiculous delivery charge will never change.

 

[beastium]

What I think is happening is that these companies buy power from con ed and are able to offer lower rates because they charge individuals $400 or so to be able to sign people up and make money doing so

 

[BaaMNYC]

What I think is happening is that these companies buy power from con ed and are able to offer lower rates because they charge individuals $400 or so to be able to sign people up and make money doing so

"Charge individuals $400 or so to be able to sign people up"?

What does that mean.

These companies get a bulk discount from con Ed and passes on part of the discount to the consumer. I have Plymouth but I feel I only saved the first few months and now I'm paying higher then when I was just with con Ed directly.