well, I know who I'm never going to buy electrical power again, unless it's free.

Seems to be way more trouble than it's worth.

Mr. Hancock

Try www.pointclickswitch.com as your one stop shop to compare electric supplier offers.

So not mentioned in your write-up is also the fact that if you want WGES to reduce you to the 10.2 they want to extend the contract through May, 2013.

Question Can i belong to BGE smart energy program and belong to another electric supplier. Please someone respond.

Thanks

Ed: The answer is yes. Switching to WGES or anybody else does NOT affect your BGE Peak Rewards program, which pays rebates for letting them cycle your air conditioning. PEak Rewards is a BGE program, and BGE is always your utility no matter who your electricity supplier is. JH

Jay,

I check out BGE Home they are cheaper than BGE. I have heard alot of good things.

My question, Jay, is whether the original contract that you signed with WGES (that you just terminated) contains a provision that supports what Ms. Gibbons told you. These contracts sound remarkably similar to the contracts that the wireless cell companies require, which, I would argue, make consumers virtual indentured servants. They certainly approach being labeled contracts of adhesion, which are voidable.

Yeah, there was language in the contract that said WGES could do this. I don't bear them any ill will. They saved me over $100 for the first year and change of the contract, and I agreed to the terms. They charged me the correct amount for early termination -- I was afraid they would charge the higher cost that they started putting in the contracts later in 2009. They promptly put me in the program when I signed up and promptly took me out when I requested that. Once the 12 months is up I would do business with them again. JH

We use Clean Currents - 100% wind powered (i.e. green energy) - very satisfied - currently 9.8 cents for 100% wind for a 1-yr contract (50% wind and 2-yr contracts also available). http://www.cleancurrents.com/index.php/Clean-Currents-Wind-Power-for-Home And @Ed yes Jay is right - we also are in BGE Peak Rewards.

I haven't shopped for electricity though I stay pretty much informed about it. We have made serious and successful efforts at cutting down our bills and so far we just go that route. To us, it's easier than splitting hairs over a couple of cents for kilowatts. One change? A clothesline. Also fewer washloads and that lightswitch is right in front of your face on that wall. It's a no-brainer.

Is the 10.8 cents strictly for the electricity/fuel itself? How much per KWH is the delivery? I lived in Baltimore for 10 years and cringed at my bills. I now live in Florida and have FPL. The market is not deregulated. As of Aug 2010, I pay 3.857 cents for my 1st 1000 KWH and 4.857 for each KWH beyond that. That seems to be half as much as BGE. My delivery charges are 4.699 per KWH for 1st 1000KWH and 5.699 cents for all KWH above 1000. My highest bill in summer (was record heat down here) was $145 and it's all electric. Lower in winter.

Why did Maryland think deregulation was a good thing?

Hi Tony: The delivery charge here of 2.4 cents is on top of the 10.8 cents. Right after the energy bubble BGE customers were paying around 14 cents total, energy and delivery, as I recall. JH

I got it. BGE (or competitors) fuel price higher but delivery cost lower. FPL is 8.56 cents per KW hour below 1000 for fuel + delivery and BGE would be about 11.6 cents per KWH with fuel + delivery. That's about 25% higher.

BGE is asking for a delivery rate increase, but it doesn't seem huge. JH

This is just more BS from the BS. We do not have a free enterprise system in this country and never have. Why should we all have to spend countless hours figuring out how the power companies, or the cell phone companies, or any of the other utilities, are screwing us over, and which one is screwing us less, or more, than the others? What a waste! How old are you, Mr. Hancock? How many years do you have left? On your deathbed, will you be happy that you allowed the government regulators/BGE/et al. to waste all of those hours/weeks/months of your time?

Jonathan Inskeep
Crofton, MD USA

Jay,

You are a pioneer and your willingness to share your experience is much appreciated. I have twice been a customer with WGES and have no complaints, although my contracts have always been 1-year or less.

Jay, I did exactly what you did. I had a three year deal with WGES which I just canceled, but I was told that I could not do business with them again EVER! I contacted the PSC about it and they said there was nothing they could do, they don't regulate that kind of thing. Now, if the ban is only for 12 months, I am feeling better, because WGES has the best rates.

WGES is responsible for me losing my job, my wife, and my dog.

If you want a good rate without any contracts (rates will go lower as more suppliers start entering the market, so it's a bad time for a contract) contact me @ tommock@gmail.com. I am an independent A gent with North American Power, our current rate is .0959/kwH. Same service just lower rates.

I switched from BG&E electricity to Dominion 12 months ago. My house is all electric. I have been tracking my savings on a monthly basis, which has been tougher than expected due to the number of rate changes. My electric bill varies between $200 in the summer to $400 for a cold winter month. I've saved about $347 over the last 12 months. Well worth the time to shop for lower rates.

It seems shady that a reseller can offer power at a lower rate than the original seller. Makes me think of all the long distance telephone resellers that popped up a few years back and have mostly disappeared. Hopefully, science will someday provide us with extremely low-cost energy and the providers will only be charging the delivery fee. We can then charge our jet backpacks for almost nothing.

is there any cost to switch back to bge if you dont like your new supplier?

The free market is pretty nice after all. Isn't it.