'Voice your choice' for energy providers underway

'Voice your choice' for energy providers underway

According to Rochester Gas and Electric, only about 50,000 of its customers have made their formal choices known under the annual electricity Voice Your Choice program. Customers are given an option to choose an electricity carrier under the state's deregulation program. The choice must be made by December 29.

Customers who take advantage of the Voice Your Choice program choose an electricity supplier, such as RG&E or any of a number of other choices - several of which are listed on the RG&E website www.rge.com or by calling 1-800-743-8926 for information.

Fixed and variable rates are available for customers. For those who do not choose, they will automatically receive the variable pricing option. Enrollment cards were mailed to customers.
According to the Energetix website: "When you take supply service from an Energy Services Company (ESCO), taxable customers automatically qualify for a substantial tax break. New York state has eliminated the sales tax burden for ESCO customers on energy delivery services provided by the traditional utility. These delivery charges, which can sometimes equal 40 percent to 50 percent of your total monthly bill, will no longer be subject to sales tax: often an 8 percent surcharge for taxable customers. Also, those customers typically subject to a municipal tax can save an additional one to three percent on their supply charges. These tax savings are often the biggest reason for taxable customers to switch to ESCO energy supply service."

Many of the companies mentioned offer both fixed and variable rates, residential and commercial service. Some offer one bill options that include the supply charges from the chosen energy supplier:

•Energetix, whose rate is $0.09212 per kWh for the fixed rate option. The company also offers variable rates. There is an early termination fee. Go to www.energetix.net for information.

•Advantage Energy, www.advantageenergyusa.com, offers both fixed and variable rates. Rates change daily with market conditions and can be found either on line or by calling 1-888-890-6690.

•Hess Energy, which is listed on the RG&E site, does not offer residential service.

•Agway Energy Services, www.suburbanpropane.com, offers only variable electricity rates. The rate effective January 1, 2007 is 8.9 cents per kWh. The rate will fluctuate depending on the market. Customers will receive 4-tenths (.4) of a cent per kWh credit for using an alternative energy supplier, there will also be a 63 cent credit off the bill each month for consolidation charges. There are no deposit, cancellation or sign up fees.

•ConEdison, www.conedsolutions.com, has a standard fixed energy rate of 8.95 cents per kWh; green power is supplied for 9.95 cents per kWh. The customer service number is 1-877-328-2143.

•IDT Energy, listed on the site, is not accepting customers in the RG&E service area.

•RG&E's prices for fixed, residential service is: 0.02270 for delivery, a credit of -0.03115 for transition charge, 0.09602 supply charge for a total of 0.08757 total kWh per hour charge.

•Information from the Village of Hilton which now offers electricity services to both Hilton and Town of Parma residents offers a retail access credit directly from RG&E of $.004 per kWh. Offered on the village's website is an example of the average residential household using approximately 10,000/kw of electricity which equates to a $40 savings per residential household per year on the access charge. Its variable rate will be comparable to RG&E's; its fixed rate will be $.085 per kWh through December 31, 2007.