4 common misconceptions when switching from the utility to a new energy supplier

So, you’ve found a better rate for your electricity outside of your utility company. You could potentially save thousands of dollars every year by making this switch. And then you stop and think, “I like my utility company. Won’t they be mad if I leave them? I have been with them for years. I’ll be the last one to have power restored in case of an outage. It’s probably safer to just stay with them, I don’t want my service interrupted.”

In this article, we will explore common misconceptions when switching from the Utility to a supplier. There truly is no risk when switching for lower rates. The Utility will still provide the same great service they always have, and all you will see is the savings.

Myth #1: The utility will give you poor service if you switch

Your utility will not treat you differently or poorly, allow for interruptions of service or fail to respond to outages and service requests if you leave them and switch to an alternative electric supplier.

Even in deregulated electric markets, electric utilities are regulated with regard to electric delivery. Utilities are responsible for providing the same level of service for all electricity users and are charged with maintaining the entire grid and its entire delivery infrastructure, including wires, poles, and transformers, regardless of which electric supplier customers buy their power from.

Myth #2: Your electric service could be temporarily interrupted if you switch

There will never be an interruption of service when you switch from your utility to an alternative electric supplier or from one electric supplier to another. Although switching might not be immediate in some cases — it could take a billing cycle or more to complete the switch — the transition is seamless. In fact, the only two things that might change are how much you pay for electricity and how you’re billed.

In some markets, you may get separate monthly bills: one for the amount of electricity you use (from your electric supplier) and one for the distribution of the electricity to your home (from your utility). In other markets, you might get only one bill. In that case, your electric supplier will “piggyback” its supply charges onto the distribution bill from your utility, showing up as either a detailed list of charges or as a single line item charge, depending on what the utility allows.

Myth #3: If you switch and the power goes out, nobody will respond

Your utility remains responsible for responding to power outages. That means that even if you switch to an alternative electric supplier, you’ll be able to call your utility just as you always have, at the same number, to report an outage. When you switch, your new electric supplier doesn’t take over maintenance and outages and the utility won’t leave you hanging because you left them.

Myth #4: The utility will be mad that I switched

Utilities are regulated by the state government (typically through public utility commissions), and their rates are controlled. Typically, utilities’ profits come from the delivery of your energy (known as “transmission and distribution”), not from the supply of energy. Switching to a competitive supplier will not harm your utility.

Hope this was useful!

Kristin Warriner
Sales Development Representative; Zentility Inc.
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