| Top 10 Misunderstandings about choosing an Electric Supplier No. 1 - CL&P or UI will be upset if I Choose An Electric Supplier Fact - CL&P and UI encourage their customers to choose an Electric Supplier because lower electric costs benefit everyone in Connecticut. No. 2 - My new electric supplier can shut off my service Fact - Only CL&P and UI can terminate electric service to your home or business and termination is strictly regulated by the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control. No. 3 - CL&P and UI will lose money if I Choose an Electric Supplier Fact - CL&P and UI do not earn a profit on the electricity they deliver to their customers. The two companies simply purchase electricity to deliver to customers who do not Choose an Electric Supplier. Customers pay exactly what CL&P and UI pay - no more, no less. No. 4 - If my electric supplier goes out of business I'll lose service Fact - Electric service will not be interrupted if a supplier goes out of business. You would be returned to CL&P or UI generation services and would pay the CL&P or UI generation services rate. You could then stay with CL&P or UI, or, choose another supplier. No. 5 - I have to give out personal information if I want to Choose an Electric Supplier Fact - Suppliers DO NOT NEED AND SHOULD NOT REQUEST personal information such as a Social Security number, credit card information, checking account numbers, etc. Suppliers will need you to provide information from your electric bill to authorize the switch. To avoid delay in switching, it is very important that you provide this information accurately. No. 6 - Savings begin immediately Fact - Customers who choose an Electric Supplier are switched to the suppliers' rate on their next regularly scheduled meter reading date. So, depending on where you are in your meter reading cycle it can take more than 30 days to have the supplier's rate appear on your bill. To avoid delays in switching, it is very important that you accurately provide the necessary billing information to the supplier. No. 7 - There's a charge to switch to another electric supplier Fact - There is NO CHARGE to switch electric suppliers and you can return to CL&P or UI Standard Service generation if you like. Most suppliers do not have a cancellation fee, but some do. So, be sure to ask whether the supplier charges a cancellation fee before enrolling. No. 8 - The savings are too small to bother switching Fact - Depending on the offer, you can lower your total electric bill by 10% or more. No. 9 - It's difficult to switch Fact - It's EASY TO SWITCH and the supplier you choose will do the work for you. You will need to provide the supplier with certain information from your electric bill. To avoid delay in switching it is very important to accurately provide the necessary information. Double check this information to be sure it's correct. No. 10 - Suppliers will start billing me separately for my electric service Fact - You will continue to receive one electric bill from CL&P or UI. The only difference will be the rate you pay for the generation service portion of your electric bill. Information provided by DT Energy Info |