| Many states have recently deregulated their | | | | pay a little bit more, but surveys suggest that as |
| energy markets. What this means is that utilities | | | | much as seventy-five percent of consumers are |
| like electricity and gas are no longer provided by a | | | | willing to do so if they're assured that their power |
| single company. Consumers are free to choose | | | | is generated sustainable. If you're interested in |
| which company they would like to have provide | | | | being able to power your home entirely with |
| their utilities. Depending on the individual | | | | electricity generated by wind, water, or other |
| consumer's current rates, electricity usage, and | | | | eco-friendly means, rather than coal or oil, |
| agreement with the supplier, a great deal of | | | | deregulation will allow you to make that choice. |
| money could be saved. Estimates range between | | | | To get the most out of your ability to choose |
| five and fifteen percent a year. That might not | | | | your power and gas providers, you should |
| sound like much, but consider that industrial | | | | understand your energy use patterns. Figure out |
| electricity customers typically consume more than | | | | how much you use and when. Consider whether |
| a megawatt of power and have utility bills over | | | | you're more concerned about the cost of your |
| two hundred thousand dollars annually. While your | | | | power, its source, or maintaining a steady price. |
| home or business might not use that much | | | | Decide whether or not you're able to manage |
| power, you can still benefit from deregulation. | | | | your power use when prices rise. All of these |
| Whether you're paying too much, or your utility | | | | factors contribute to the company you choose as |
| offers bad customer service, if you live in | | | | an energy provider. |
| deregulated state, you have the option to try | | | | Deregulation opens many doors to energy |
| another company. While deregulation does contain | | | | consumers. We're not used to being able to |
| the risk of more volatile prices than we have | | | | choose who produces our electricity and provides |
| seen in the past, it also opens the doors for | | | | our natural gas. However, picking the company |
| competition between providers to provide the | | | | that best suits our needs will soon be as habitual |
| best prices and service to consumers. You could | | | | as sticking with the same company is now. A |
| see better prices, and bills that are easier to | | | | competitive market allows consumers to get the |
| understand, just by changing to a different | | | | best possible service and prices for their energy. |
| company. | | | | If you live in a state that has deregulated the |
| Deregulation is not just for people worried about | | | | energy industry, investigate your options now. |
| the cost of their energy, however. If you're | | | | Whether you're a residential customer, a small |
| concerned about the environmental effects of | | | | business owner, or a large company, you could |
| traditional power generation, deregulation allows | | | | benefit greatly from the new freedom that |
| you to purchase your power from a company | | | | deregulation offers. |
| which generates it in a greener way. You might | | | | |