Arizona has for now suspended hopes of moving from a regulated state to a deregulated state. After many discussions and much stakeholder input, in September 2013 the Arizona Corporation Commission surprisingly voted 4-1 to close the docket after an unexpected closed door meeting. They had previously started a temporary test pilot program for Arizona Public Service Co. as of May 2012 for large commercial customers.

California is currently proposing new laws for reopening electricity competition in the state. Legislation implemented a Direct Access program with a limited megawatt cap under a four-year span. In 2010, there was a first phase of the program for an alternate electricity supplier for residential and commercial customers that was successful. As of 2012, legislation initiated the final phase for small businesses and institutions who submitted an intent petition to purchase electricity from an alternate supplier under the remaining wattage in the states direct access cap program. A new bill is currently being reviewed under the Assembly Utilities Committee to expand California’s current cap of Direct Access from an alternate supplier.

Connecticut opened its retail electricity market in 1998. Competitive supply is available to customers of Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and United Illuminating (UI). Utility provided service is broken into two categories. Standard Service (SS) for customers with peak demand less than 500 kilowatts (kW) and Last Resort Service (LRS) for customers over 500 kW. SS customers currently have a fixed price option for a six month period (January -June and July -December). LRS customers receive a forward monthly price by quarter (i.e. Jan, Feb, Mar). Forward prices are generally not known until 30-60 days in advance of the price period. Utility commodity prices will be heavily influenced by market prices about 60 days prior to the price period. The only option if you are seeking longer term price stability is to obtain competitive supply.

Note: It is critical to compare like periods when evaluating competitive offers. New England power prices vary significantly by season. Winter prices can easily be double spring or fall prices. To understand more about what has caused this significant price shift, contact us.

Delaware initiated deregulation of retail competition on October 1st, 2000 from the Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999. This would allow residential, small commercial, large commercial and industrial to start with a default supplier for a 4 year transition period. Then in 2006, the Electric Utilities Retail Customer Supply Act allowed for distribution companies to build generation and transmissions for retail supplier competition and customers were able to opt out of Standard Offer Service. Delaware is currently deregulated for all customer classes.

Initially, Illinois became deregulated for large commercial and industrial in 1997, but it wasn’t until May 1st 2002, when small business and residential were also allowed to switch to alternate electric providers with a rate cap. In 2007, the caps were removed and electric competition in Illinois was building. Today there are over 30 certified companies to serve large and small commercial, industrial, and residential customers.

Maine has been a deregulated state since March 2000. All customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential can choose the electricity supplier of their choice. Utility provided service is called Default Service (DS). DS prices vary by utility and customer size. Residential and small customers have a fixed price option for a 12 month period beginning in March. Maine used to follow a 3 year laddering approach to procurement, but will phase that out in March 2016. For medium business customers, the new prices differ by month and are set in March for a 12 month term. Large business customers are indexed to the market, and prices will be set by the PUC in advance of each month based on then-current market prices. The only option if you are seeking longer term price stability is to obtain competitive supply.

Note: It is critical to compare like periods when evaluating competitive offers. New England power prices vary significantly by season. Winter prices can easily be double spring or fall prices. To understand more about what has caused this significant price shift, contact us.

Maryland became a deregulated state in late 1999 by the Electric Customer Choice and Competition Act. The utility companies were forced to either shut down generation plants or sell to deregulated units. Maryland electric customers were placed on a rate freeze through 2007. After the rates were unfrozen Maryland began to enter the retail electric competition for commercial, industrial and residential customers.

Massachusetts has been a deregulated state since March 2005. All customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential have the option to choose a third party electricity supplier if served by an investor owned utility. Massachusetts has four investor owned utilities: NSTAR, National Grid, Western Mass Electric Company and Fitchburg G&E. Utility provided service is called Basic Service (BS). BS prices vary by utility and customer size. Small customers have an option of monthly or six month fixed prices. If you leave BS prior to the six month term you will be re-billed at the monthly rate. Large BS customers have rates set on a monthly basis for a 3 month term. Recently, insufficient wholesale price offers have resulted in a market based (non-fixed price) option at some utilities. The only option if you are seeking longer term price stability is to obtain competitive supply. Massachusetts also has municipal aggregation. In some areas like Cape Cod you may be supplied by the aggregation if you have not opted out.

Note: It is critical to compare like periods when evaluating competitive offers. New England power prices vary significantly by season. Winter prices can easily be double spring or fall prices. To understand more about what has caused this significant price shift, contact us.

Michigan has begun permitting retail competition since February 1st, 2002. Currently onlylarge commercial and industrial customers have the option to choose an alternative electric supplier but currently there is a waitlist for businesses and retail choice is capped at 10% of utility average weather adjusted retail sales for the preceding year.

As of May 1, 2003, New Hampshire introduced Electric Retail Choice under four utilities: Granite State Electric (Liberty), New Hampshire Electric Co-Op (NHEC), Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) and Unitil to all customer classes (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial). Utility provided service is referred to as Default Service (DS). Liberty and Unitil procure DS from the wholesale market for short term periods, less than 6 months. PSNH is unique in that it still retains generation resources as part of its supply portfolio. These resources have served to lower cost relative to market prices in the winter. PSNH will set a new DS price in January and likely adjust that price in July. NHEC is an electric cooperative and procures its resource requirements and sets prices independent of typical investor owned procurement practices.

Note: It is critical to compare like periods when evaluating competitive offers. New England power prices vary significantly by season. Winter prices can easily be double spring or fall prices. To understand more about what has caused this significant price shift, contact us.

New Jersey became a deregulated state in for electric supplier choice in 1999. By 2000, 14% of the power in New Jersey was supplied from an alternate electricity supplier other than the utility. As of today, New Jersey is very successful in retail electric competition for all customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential.

Retail electric competition began in New York as of 1998. The state of New York is deregulated for all customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential for service provided by an Investor Owned Utility. In New York this includes Con-Ed, Central Hudson, Orange & Rockland, NYSE&G, RG&E and Niagara Mohawk (NGRID). In effect, all New York consumers are subject to spot market prices. Prices tend to be more volatile in resource constrained areas of the state, primarily southeast New York and New York City. The only option if you are seeking longer term price stability is to obtain competitive supply.

Ohio became a part of electric choice deregulation in 1999. Retail direct access to competitive suppliers officially began on January 1st 2001. In 2005 Ohio’s PUC showed a report of electric choice successes of increase switches in residential, commercial, and industrial to alternate suppliers.Ohio has become more active in the energy industry by passing the Energy Law where all electric companies must require 25% of their electricity to come from renewable sources which has been saving customers increased amounts of savings. Also, there are a lot of aggregation programs for small towns utility rates. Ohio is also deregulated for all customer classes in electricity and natural gas.

Oregon is a partially deregulated state as of March 1st 2002. Commercial and Industrial customers are able to purchase electricity from electricity providers, though transmission and distribution are still regulated by the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Residential customers do not benefit from retail competition at this time but are given a choice of supply options.

Pennsylvania has been a deregulated state since late 1999, but what has made it one of the most successful deregulated states is electric choice awareness. Pennsylvania Consumer Advocate and state officials speak highly of deregulation in the state that has lead more than 5 million Pennsylvanians to switch from their utility company. Pennsylvania is deregulated for all customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential.

The State of Rhode Island approved retail competition in 1998. Rhode Island offers electric choice for all customer classes including commercial, industrial, and residential. Utility provided commodity service is called Standard Offer Service (SOS). NGRID breaks SOS into three categories, residential, commercial (small customers) and industrial (large customers). Residential and commercial consumers have the option of a multi month fixed price. Fixed prices change on January 1, April 1 and July 1 each year. If you leave SOS prior to the six month term you will be re-billed at the monthly rate. Large customers receive a monthly fixed price. Rhode Island also has a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) charge that is additive to the SOS rate. The only option if you are seeking longer term price stability is to obtain competitive supply.

Texas adopted deregulation in 1999. Since 2002, 85% of commercial and industrial customers in Texas have switched electric providers. Customers have the choice to choose their own electric provider only if the utility has “opted in” to deregulation and there is no default utility service. San Antonio and Austin are still regulated because they were not affected by Texas deregulation.

The District of Columbia Public Service Commission approved retail choice deregulation on January 1st, 2001 for all commercial and residential customers.