Monday 28 January 2013

Connecticut Energy service restructured


Connecticut is relatively an expensive area in the United States of America with all time flying costs in terms of salaries, taxes, land, and other expenses. This area is also rated as the fourth high priced business areas in the country. Certainly, these soaring costs in the state affect electric companies and other participants in the utility market too. Electricity Prices in Connecticut are much higher than the national average thus making the utility a costlier commodity for the residents.

You can also notice that, even though the Connecticut consumers use less power than the nations average consumption there is no big difference in their monthly bills in comparison to other states of the United States. They pay huge amounts on their little usage as compared to the rates in other states. With Connecticut’s rapidly growing Electricity Prices and needs it is becoming difficult for the common man to afford CT energy. Also saving the power is becoming a tough competition for the locals in the city.

Connecticut Electricity Prices increase dramatically during peak demand, particularly during the summer. With soaring temperatures around the rate of consumption consequently rise thus increasing the monthly expense on the whole. Connecticut Electric companies are striving hard to find the possible aids to such huge rising costs thus are enforcing certain conservative measures to help consumers reduce their expenses on utility.

According to CT Energy Info, some of the measures that Connecticut utility companies can implement in order to promote conservation and reduce Electricity Prices are as follows:
·         Mandatory daily time of use rates for large commercial and industrial customers.
·         Voluntary time of use rates for other residential customers.
·         Mandatory seasonal rates for all customers.
·         Implementation of smart meters to allow the consumers to have a track of their consumption rates on a regular basis.

In the past, all the electric companies had a monopoly on selling power in their service territories. They owned and operated generation, transmission, and distribution facilities alone. Their Electricity Prices were regulated by public utility commissions (PUC) on a cost of service basis. But since the deregulation was being implemented in the majority of states in the U.S.A there introduced a trend of consumer choice on energy purchase. The Connecticut Electricity companies as part of deregulation were required to sell their electric generating plants to private firms.  As a result, they no longer one single company both produces and supply utility to the consumers. Instead, they deliver energy produced by others.

This deregulation opened up the power generation market to retail competition that allowed CT utility companies to sell power and compete in the open market. This also allowed the consumers to compare the CT Energy Info and shop around the market looking for the best Electricity Prices available in the area. All the CT consumers were also given by the power to switch to the utility supplier of their choice if they feel the old provider unreliable or costly. However, Deregulation was implemented to encourage competition among multiple electricity suppliers, which would ultimately drive down energy prices and help customers save money on monthly bills by offering cheap and flexible rates.

Now in 2013, Connecticut utility customers have more choices and greater access to cleaner energy than ever before. Also post the deregulation, many new types of Eco friendly power generation technologies are being developed and integrated into the CT Energy market. According to CT Energy Info, different sources of energy like Hydropower, wind energy and biomass are contributing to the state’s goal of generating 27 % of Connecticut’s entire energy production by the end of 2020.

Sunday 27 January 2013

Opt out program for Smart Meters in Texas


The Public Utility Commission (PUC) has announced recently that they be coming up with an Opt Out program for Smart Meters in Texas electric market. However, this is not surprising as all the Texans are provided with full power to shop and buy their utility and save up on their Texas Electricity Rates by shopping for the supplier through Compare Electric Rates option.

With the implementation of smart meters there was a great revolution in the energy market of Texas. Smart meters make the billing process cheaper as it provided freedom for the utility workers to not to go to each and every resident and check the usage personally. The meters also provided real time information on energy consumption and help utilities to prevent grid overloads during peak times of the year. They also report to the utility when there is a power outage, making reconnection faster and much simpler. However, all three PUC Commissioners voted to have an Opt Out for concerned citizens who are not in favor of having the new Smart Meter technology in their homes.

 But what will the Opt Out look like? Will consumers be expected to pay to Opt Out?
An Opt Out is nothing more than a Band Aid to heal the soaring Texas Electricity Rates. However, after many different complaints and one drawn firearm, the PUC has decided to put together a plan by which Texans might choose to opt out of having Smart Meter integration in their homes. A person can however go for opt out for safety reasons, but if they are surrounded by 10,000 of such meters transmitting every 15 seconds around their homes, it will not stop the damage to their body. This opt out cannot be beneficial if only accepted by some.

  • Some of the complaints made by the Texans for the smart meter implementation that stated they pose health, environmental and safety hazards are as follows:
  • ·         Thousands of people have complained of tinnitus, headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, heart arrhythmia, and other symptoms after it was installed in their place.
  • ·         There is also emerging evidence that wireless, non ionizing radiation that comes out of this harms wildlife and damages trees. There have been direct reports of how smart meters affect vital bee populations.
  • ·         A number of electrical fires have been caused by this technology.
  • ·         Health hazards from the radio frequencies emitted by the meters have also been cited. However, the Public Utility Commission says these meters have a lower impact than cell phones and microwave ovens.

Nevertheless, one really can’t comprehend just how dangerous those smart meters are and why they must be banned in this country without a proper and detailed research report.

It is anyhow clear that Smart meters do not save energy. The Smart Grid is part of the long range plans the energy industry has to save itself money and be able to charge you more. This is the real Picture of this technology. Texas Electricity Rates were rapidly reported to be increasing post the implementation of this technology at the residents.

It is also reported that about 93% of the nearly 7 million smart meters in the Texas competitive electricity market, mainly in Houston and the Dallas area, have been installed. However, this is America and our citizens should have the right to decide if they want this kind of technology installed within their homes. Likewise they are given the power to choose the utility by Compare Electric Rates option. But anyhow an Opt Out would leave already installed smart meters in place but disable the devices radio frequency capabilities.

Sunday 20 January 2013

Make a switch with Pennsylvania Electric Suppliers


Now with switching option available for all the consumers, one can any time get connected with one of the many Pennsylvania Electric Suppliers available in the market. The reason can be any as one may find the older one less reliable or too costly and when a better option anytime available they can jump to it and save up on their electricity bills by getting a cheaper price or also get rid of uninterrupted connections from the old suppliers. There are many Electric Suppliers available in the Pennsylvania market that offers Cheap and best Electricity Rates to cater the needs of the consumers.

When the option of switching comes the most common doubt that creep in the consumer's mind is that how to make a switch? And do they have to pay any extra charges to make a suitable switch with the Pennsylvania Electric Suppliers? The answer to this is simple. Consumers can anytime visit a business website of any of the Electric Supplier and get full details regarding their rate plans and types of packages offered along with the smart switching procedure.

However, we are here providing briefly how you can exactly make a switch on your Electric Supplier.

First investigate and research properly before thinking to make a switch. Once you get clear about the factor you are interested in that was lacking in the old supplier you can make a smart choice. Once you have selected comparing all the rates and services you have to go to the website of that Electric Supplier and sign up into that. Make your customer account and login to your account once it is confirmed from your mail. Now, they will ask for the geographical location to offer you with the plans available in your area along with the market rates. The electricity price and the forms of energy may differ with different location throughout the United States of America.

Once your location is updated they will give you plans that are accessible in your area along with all the plan rates. You can select a plan that you feel will best suit your needs and budget. Then you will have to provide the details of your old supplier along with the package used and the mode of payment you used to pay your electricity bills before. If you are unsure about your old tariff rates, contact your old supplier and ask or check your last electric bill. Make sure that you clearly express all the details in advance in order to avoid any conflicts in the middle with your old provider. Also settle all the old payments before making a Switch as you will be asked for clearance papers before getting your connection to the new provider. Also, if you want to get the best possible deal based on your current energy usage you must have full information from your supplier regarding your energy consumptions rates and requirements. With clear understanding you can save up a lot on your monthly electric bill.

Once you are completed with all the formalities and your electric choice you will be connected to the new Electric Supplier of your choice. You can now use the customer account anytime in the future to manage your account and also to pay your bills online. Most of the Pennsylvania Electric Suppliers have come up with online paying option to help simplify the payment transactions of their consumers now. Being a smart consumer you can anytime make a safe switch and save up many dollars.