Update on our electricity bills

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

I've learned from talking to other electricity suppliers that the 65% jump in the "Basic Svc Fixed" rate on our NSTAR bills was due to hurricaines in the gulf last year. We didn't see the price-jump until now because our electricity through December had been bulk-purchased last June. So, your first electricity bill that covers a period entirely within 2006 will be representative of your bills for the first half of 2006. Mine for two people in a two-bedroom went from ~$60 to ~$100.

Of the four competitive suppliers listed on NSTAR's website for A1 service (ours), only one actually offers service for residential customers -- Dominion. The other three say they do because you only get one shot to register with the regulators, and if you *ever* want to offer a form of service, you have to register for it at the outset. However two of those three said they intended to start offering residential service this Spring.

Dominion's number (866-275-4243) was busy signals almost every time I called. The one time I got through I got a recorded message saying their rate for residential service was 11-something. Since ours is now 12-something, I didn't consider it worth any further hassle.

My guess is that this rate-shock will trigger a whole lot of electricity shopping, and hence competition in the next few months. I'm going to call the other suppliers again in April and see whether there's more options available.

Comments

[jd-science.livejournal.com]

thanks for doing all this research and posting the results. i for one am really appreciating it.