FAQs

With Electric Restructuring (deregulation of supply), who is supplying my power now?
Every 6 months CL&P and UI enter into supply contracts with independent companies for wholesale power to supply their respective customers.

So what is the change?
The generation portion of electric supply is no longer owned by "the electric company." It is owned by independent competitive companies. They may sell the power either wholesale (to electric companies or retail suppliers) or retail (directly to the end use customer).

How do I know if I am saving money?
Your electric bill has a line item entitled "Generation Service Charge" in cents per kWh x no. of kWh used per month (as determined by the meter reading). By checking the cents per kWh charged by your distribution company you can compare the price to the offer by the competitive supplier.

What companies provide retail power?
The DPUC maintains an up-to-date list of companies that are offering electric generation services to consumers. Companies can get a license from the DPUC if they meet certain criteria to sell power to the public. They can be suppliers (companies that generate power or buy power at wholesale to sell retail) or aggregators (companies that bring together many customers to provide retail power at a lower volume-discount price).

How does my supplier get the power to CL&P or UI?
They actually don't bring the power to the distribution company. From the power source (generation station) the power flows onto the grid (transmission system) where CL&P and UI pull it off (at sub-stations) onto their distribution systems.

Do all companies offer Clean Energy Choices?
No

Does Clean Energy cost the same as regularly generated power?
Usually it is more expensive, but some companies do offer it and some customers are willing to pay a bit more for it.

If I opt for a Clean Energy Choice, does that mean the electricity that comes to my home is different?
No. An electron is an electron. Once on the grid, all electrons are merged whatever their source.

What happens if my supplier stops supplying (such as goes out of business)?
CL&P or UI will supply you at market rates.

What other factors ensure Connecticut will have adequate electricity?
Connecticut is part of the New England "grid," one of many interconnected grids nationwide. The grid is operated by an Independent System Operator (ISO) that monitors power generation and usage moment to moment. If a plant goes down or usage increases in one area, the ISO can reroute power from another area to make sure the power stays on, drawing from grids in Canada, New York and other places, if necessary.

I am a business consumer. How will restructuring affect me?
You will have the option of joining with other businesses to purchase power through an aggregator in order to obtain volume discounts.

I am a business. How can I learn more about saving money through load management?
CL&P customers, call 877-602-SAVE or visit http://www.cl-p.com
UI customers, call 877-WISE-USE or visit http://www.uinet.com

Who generates electricity now?
Electric generation is owned by independent, competitive companies that sell the power either wholesale (to distribution companies or retail suppliers) or retail (directly to the end-use customer).

Does default power cost more than power I might buy from a competitive supplier?
Default power may cost more, because rates for it will fluctuate monthly according to the market price of electricity. If you enter into a contract (usually for one year) with a competitive supplier, you'll lock in your rates, so it's easier for you to budget.

Who do I call for outages or billing problems?
CL&P or UI, just as you have in the past.

Will I get an additional bill from my supplier?
No. Customers still receive only one bill. The supplier lets the distribution company know its price (in cents per kWh). Once CL&P or UI have read the meter, they calculate the charge based on the supplier's price and arrange payment to the supplier.

What are some energy efficient ways to help me save money?
Call the DPUC, visit UI's Smart Living Center, call the distribution companies, buy energy saving (Energy Star) rated appliances and watch that thermostat.

Does Electric Restructuring mean there is no government regulation at all?
No. State government continues to regulate the other two components of electricity: transmission, the movement of electricity over high-voltage lines from generating stations to substations; and distribution, the system of poles and wires that carry usable, lower-voltage electricity from sub-stations into consumers' homes and businesses.

What is a broker of electricity?

A broker of electricity acts as an energy middle man, arranging power sales between parties, but never actually owning the power. A broker is not licensed by the DPUC.

What is capacity?

Capacity is the amount of electric power that can be delivered at one time by a generating unit, generating station or all the plants on an electric system.

What is Summer Saver Rewards?

Summer Saver Rewards is a program that asked CT residents to reduce their electric consumption by at least 10% this past summer. Consumers qualified for a certain percent credit on the generation services charge based upon their percentage of reductions.

Re: Summer Saver Rewards, where is the money to provide credits coming from?

The program is funded through the Combined Public Benefits Charge on customers'

bills.

If I have additional questions, is there someone I can speak to?
Yes. Call the DPUC at 1-888-922-3782 for help in English or Spanish.