Natural gas prices are rising. That’s worse news for ratepayers than utilities.
Higher energy prices: who pays them?
A utility pays for them BUT passes the costs through to customers. Utilities do not own the natural gas or they own very little electric generation. They buy on the wholesale market and pay market-based rates. Usually, their payment terms are to buy the gas and electricity but pay for it 60 days after its used. In that way, they use it in the current month, let’s say January, invoice for it in February, and pay the wholesale company back in March. Then do it all again. So, the price they pass through to customers is normally delayed 60 days.
Energy marketers or third-party suppliers buy in the wholesale market and typically repay the wholesale company after 30 days. This means they invoice the current cost immediately. So, there is no delay like with the utilities.
HOWEVER, in both cases the customers end up paying for the wholesale supply. The only question is, do you pay it immediately or after 60 days?
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://energynews.us/2022/10/12/natural-gas-prices-are-rising-thats-worse-news-for-ratepayers-than-utilities/
South Carolina House Passes Resolution To Require Study Of “Full” Retail Electric Choice
Energy deregulation allows consumers to select their energy supplier while retaining the monopoly utility delivery system.
South Carolina would be joining many states offering customer choice.
We applaud South Carolina for believing in markets over monopoly.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20200224aae.html
Utilities vs. grid edge upstarts: Turf battles in an increasingly DER-centric world
You’ve heard of the Internet of Things… devices using a network to transfer data such as door bells, Alexa, light switches, TVs, thermostats, etc.
What about solar panels or car chargers? Think about this:
The fastest growing portion of the US electric market is in solar panel installation and EVs (Electric Vehicles).
Consider the following growth:
PV Solar and EVs produce as near real-time information about their energy production or usage.
This data is the issue.
Utilities want the data to be part of the electric grid while almost everyone else disagrees.
Regulators will be hearing both sides of the arguments about data control and best-practices. Given the importance of the issue for all parties, a final decision is likely years away but, initial decisions seem to favor the utility.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-vs-grid-edge-upstarts-turf-battles-in-an-increasingly-der-centr/572718/
Reversing Emissions-Reducing Lightbulb Energy Efficiency Standards
President George W. Bush’s administration implemented energy standards to phase out high energy usage light bulbs. Obama’s administration was set to finalize that legislation in January 2020 to include specialty bulbs becoming more energy efficient. Trump’s administration wants to undo these regulations. Not only would this encourage consumers to spend more money on bulbs with lower life expectancies, it would increase their bills due to less energy efficient products and increase carbon dioxide emissions. If regulations are reversed, they will be challenged.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/757623821/trump-administration-reverses-standards-for-energy-efficient-light-bulbs
Choose your own electric company in Arizona?
Arizona has been discussing energy deregulation to decide if they will allow customers to choose where their energy supply comes from. The utilities currently monopolize the state and consumers must use the utility they are assigned. Through competition, the prices would be driven down and improvements in dependability and customer service would occur.
Commissioner Justin Olson states, “Data shows that since 2008, there has been a significant decrease in rates in the 14 states that have competition compared to a significant increase in rates to states that still prohibit competition in the energy sector.”
Another option would be partial competition in which only businesses or aggregates would be able to shop around for their energy. It is unclear when a vote will take place. Until more questions are asked and answered, Arizona will remain regulated by the state.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2019/08/06/arizona-energy-deregulation-rules-corporation-commission-aps-tuscon-electric-srp/1871816001/
Regulation of the Unregulated.
Taxation without Representation leads to the start of a new nation. Who knows what regulation of the unregulated will unleash?
Utilities are monopolies. As such, they have no competition for the delivery of electricity or natural gas. The way their costs are established is by oversight by government regulatory agency (not competition). The agency determines if expenditures are spent for useful purposes and if they are, they get to recover the cost PLUS a profit of around 10%.
In Illinois, the regulatory agency is called the Illinois Commerce Commission or ICC; the ICC’s charter requires them to be
“…safe and least-cost public utility services, while promoting the development of an
effectively competitive energy supplier market.” (emphasis added)
In the 1980’s, utilities sold off the majority of their power plants to create competition amongst power generators and a wholesale power market. The ICC recognized that the monopoly utility was no longer necessary to buy and markup the electricity for their customers. Customers could buy it directly. The result: 75% of Illinois residents purchase their energy from an energy supplier and the result is $37 billion in savings.
A monopoly takes NO RISKS and passes through all their costs to customers. Regulators are only necessary when competition doesn’t exist or public interest is at risk.
The state legislators want to tax energy marketers to pay for the ICC regulatory enforcement. Enforcement over the utility. Taxing NON-MONOPOLY companies that compete against each other every day and against the utility which takes no risks.The ICC should reject this action as against their charter and require legislators or the utilities to pay for the cost of oversight of regulated companies. Energy marketers shoulder the risk and costs to provide electricity to customers through the regulated utility. Taxing them will NOT promote competitive energy supply.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 6 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information:
http://www.energychoicematters.com/stories/20180221a.html
Chicago homeowners could get ZAPPED
Electric prices need not be confusing. The primary reason we have regulated utilities is for efficiency, no duplicate wires or pipes. Offering electric choice does not change this. Electric prices have always been controlled by rather confusing processes called tariffs (akin to IRS taxes) because it was, and is a regulated monopoly. THE REGULATORS are in charge of the process; utilities must prove they spent money according to the tariff so they can get it repaid. Customer choice does not change this relationship between regulators and the utility; it just adds a new player—the retail energy supplier.
Having energy choice need not confuse customers. The regulators need to continue balancing customer choice against their desire to have a regulated market without innovation or price volatility.
Realgy believes in open competition and easily understood explanations of energy offers. Realgy offers energy prices that show a savings compared to the utility, offers fixed pricing during seasons, and offers to beat or match any competitor’s offer.
Check out our current prices that will show you our price as compared to the utility for every market we serve.
Read the whole Chicago Business article, “Emanuel’s power pact could zap Chicago homeowners”.
COMPETITION WORKS; to the tune of $37 Billion
The State of Illinois is celebrating, not the ending of winter but the savings from energy deregulation.
Illinois consumers, including residential, commercial and industrials, saved a total of $37,000,000,000 as a result of opening electrical supply to competition.
Realgy Energy Service has been an alternative energy supplier in Ameren and COMED and our customer know the benefits of buying directly from Realgy.
I like the last line; “Competition works.” I guess if it didn’t we would all work for the Government, right comrade!
Read the whole Compete Coalition article, “With $37B in consumer Savings, Illinois Results Deemed ‘Triumph of Market-Based Public policy’”
Go Michigan!
Realgy supports energy choice and fair competition.
Realgy Energy Services–Invested in Service™
Deregulation and how it can help you save money with Realgy Energy Services
Deregulation is the separation of purchasing energy, and the distribution of the energy. While your utility will continue to deliver your energy, deregulation offers the opportunity for third party suppliers such as Realgy Energy Services to supply you with the same energy at a lower rate.
Lawmakers are carefully protecting consumers, as the energy industry implements the restructuring of itself from a regulated monopoly to a competitive service. Strict requirements and rules have been imposed on all new energy suppliers.
At Realgy Energy Services, we take consumer protection very seriously and provide you with protection beyond what the law requires at every step of the way.
Realgy Energy Services, like other companies selling to industrial, commercial and business customers, must:
· Register with the Public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Be approved by the Public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Provide financial guarantees to the public Utilities Commission or local utility
· Demonstrate customer service
You have the right to file a complaint against your supplier with the Public Utilities Commission or local utility. Any company violating the rules will have its registration revoked and will no longer be allowed to sell.
How does deregulation help you save money?
Deregulation of natural gas and electricity puts the power in your hands as a consumer; it gives you the choice to decide whether you purchase your energy from your utility or from a third party supplier like Realgy Energy Services.
In addition to saving you money on your energy usage throughout the year, Realgy Energy Services also offers to all of our customers:
Direct contact with our friendly Customer Service Team – We are here to answer any questions you may have (877) 300-6747
PriceWatchTM – Alerted when fixed pricing will reduce costs
Summer Storage Program – Purchase a percentage of gas at low summer rates to use during the winter
RealgyOfficeTM – Allows online access to account information quickly and conveniently
Check out our competitive rates at www.realgyenergyservices.com just enter your zip code in the Service Plan Offers box.