Alternate Energy (Electricity) Providers - Savings?

[MarkF48]

With my electric company I can choose an alternate supplier of my electricity. I would still pay my electric company for the distribution part of the electricity delivery. The alternate suppliers claim a savings over purchasing the electricity from my electric company, whose rates have been increasing during the winter months and then coming down in the spring. The energy suppliers generally offers these rates under a contract for a given number of years and the rates are locked for that duration.
Given the up and down rate structure of the supply rates from my electric company, would or is the locked contract rate of a supplier simply an average of the varying rates from my electric company or could there be any savings from buying from a supplier under a contract.

Not sure if the rest of the US electric companies are setup to purchase energy/electricity apart from their regular electric company. I'm in the northeast and my electric company is NationalGrid.

This is a list of suppliers for Massachusetts residential customers.....
https://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/home/energychoice/4_supplier_list.asp

 

[Mendonsy]

There may be some alternate suppliers that are less expensive, but in general they are not. My neighbor tried one of them and promptly doubled her electric bill each month.

 

[davesl708]

We don't have a choice here. Our state controls the rates.
Never understood how a company could buy electricity from the generating company and sell it to you at a lower cost.

When I take my total utility bill (I am totally electric) and divide it by the kilowatts used I pay about $0.15 per KW. That includes all taxes and fees.
Not sure how another company could sell it to me cheaper.

 

[Looking4new]

With my electric company I can choose an alternate supplier of my electricity. I would still pay my electric company for the distribution part of the electricity delivery. The alternate suppliers claim a savings over purchasing the electricity from my electric company, whose rates have been increasing during the winter months and then coming down in the spring. The energy suppliers generally offers these rates under a contract for a given number of years and the rates are locked for that duration.
Given the up and down rate structure of the supply rates from my electric company, would or is the locked contract rate of a supplier simply an average of the varying rates from my electric company or could there be any savings from buying from a supplier under a contract.

Not sure if the rest of the US electric companies are setup to purchase energy/electricity apart from their regular electric company. I'm in the northeast and my electric company is NationalGrid.

This is a list of suppliers for Massachusetts residential customers.....
https://www.nationalgridus.com/masselectric/home/energychoice/4_supplier_list.asp

What energy company owns the wires?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

My understanding is that in this state, the gas/electric companies are public utilities and their rates are set by the state Corporation Commission. They are, by law, as a public utility, allowed a reasonable profit set via public hearing. Fuel supplies are generally assured as to quantity and price by virtue of long term contracts, so they are not subject to short term market whims; which tends to make rates stable over long periods of time. Not to say that they cannot go to the Corporation Commission for boosts to pay for new equipment, weather damage, pollution equipment, etc.

 

[MarkF48]

What energy company owns the wires?

Currently NationalGrid. It used to be Massachusetts Electric Co. under New England Electric System years ago. And under New England Electric was New England Power which owned and operated much of the generation for the New England states.

 

[KennyG]

Keep in mind the rates aren't guaranteed. For a condo I own, the association decided to switch to an alternate supplier to save money. The cost was lower but it was a hassle because we could no longer do automatic payments. Then, in less than a year, the cost went up and we were paying more. Finally we went back to the original supplier.

 

[Looking4new]

Currently NationalGrid. It used to be Massachusetts Electric Co. under New England Electric System years ago. And under New England Electric was New England Power which owned and operated much of the generation for the New England states.

I would stick to the corp that owns the wires.
I've done that here with Hydro One/Ontario Hydro. I won't say I get a better rate (I take the same screwing as everybody else), but when I complain about the juice being out they do something about it. (Usually send a crew to the doughnut shop for a few hours before they 'get around' to doing anything.)