Once again, you are being asked to choose an energy supply company (ESCO) for the supply portion of your electric bill. If you do not notify NYSEG of any changes before Dec. 30, 2008, your electricity supply company will remain the same as it has been in 2008. If you have kept NYSEG as your energy supply company, then you will be automatically enrolled in NYSEG's Default Supply Option, which is a variable rate, for the next 12 months.

         On your NYSEG bill, you will continue to have a fixed basic service charge (increasing to $14/month for the Residential Regular service in 2009), a delivery cost (a fixed price per kwh of electricity usage), and a fixed transition charge.   If you choose NYSEG or another ESCO that has an agreement with NYSEG for single billing , then your electricity supply cost will also be on this bill. This will add up to the total cost for your electricity. If you choose an electricity supplier without an agreement with NYSEG to do single billing, then you will receive a second bill that will just cover your electricity supply cost.

         There are a number of options to guide your choice of an electricity supplier. To help in making your choice, we have listed questions to consider below.  One of the options you will notice is for a fixed rate vs. a variable rate.   Since electricity use is measured in kilowatt-hours (kwh), a fixed rate is a guaranteed price per kwh for the length of the contract. A variable rate means that the price will vary based upon the market price of electricity, and may be affected by supply and demand, weather, fuel costs, etc.  It is important to remember that only about half of your electricity bill will be affected by your choice, since it is only the supply portion that you are choosing.  The other portion is affected only by your usage, since there is a fixed rate (per kwh) for delivery.

 

         To help you make your decision:

•   Review the article linked above.
  
•   Review the "Questions to Consider ..." below.
  
•  The Public Service Commission website has pricing and other information from participating energy supply companies at www.PowerToChooseNY.com.  Consumers are encouraged to contact the individual companies to obtain complete contract information before enrolling.

 For more information on this or other consumer decisions, call Cornell Cooperative Extension's Consumer HelpLine at (607) 272-2292.

     It's your choice to either remain with your current utility or switch to another energy provider.  To make an informed choice, you may want to use the checklist below:

Compare prices and services

Review the terms and conditions

Energy Options

Billing and Payment Options

A complete list of suppliers available to residential NYSEG customers can be found on the Public Service Commission website  <www.PowerToChooseNY.com> and on the NYSEG website, <www.NYSEG.com>.

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