Questions?

A majority of residential account holders do not know a lot about utility choice, the services we offer, and how we do it at no charge to our clients … and hopefully, we’ll soon be calling you a client.

It’s for that reason we have put together frequently asked questions on a variety of utility-related topics. Click on a question, and its answer will drop down below it:

General

Will I really save money in the future?

That’s impossible to say, since no one knows what energy prices will be down the road. Whenever we say that our price of X is lower (in both percentages and monetary units) than your current rate of Y, these figures are ONLY to be used for current rates.

Are savings guaranteed?

No, but many customers have saved, on average, 5% to 10% in the past. Our prices are best considered as guaranteed price protections, with all savings being an added plus.

Can my service be changed without my permission?

No! Persons must be at least 18 years old and authorized by an account holder to make this decision. Safeguards are in place to assure that you are not “slammed” into a utility supplier you did not explicitly choose.

Does my current utility mind if I choose to change?

No! The utility wants what’s best for its customers. Customers benefit from lower costs and expanded choices, like wind power, that may result from competition.

Does my current utility offer fixed prices?

No. Utility rates are regulated by Public Service Commissions in individual states, and are set monthly or seasonally. Utilities make their money by delivering your energy, so the utility doesn’t really have the incentive to shop commodity markets for energy. Our supplier, Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES), makes its money by shopping commodity markets for the best prices for its customers.

What happens to my utility Budget Bill Plan if I sign up with Electric Advisors/WGES?

You can stay on Budget Billing for all utilities except BGE natural-gas accounts. Unfortunately, BGE gas accounts cannot stay on Budget Billing after choosing WGES because BGE’s billion system doesn’t properly handle WGES’s gas charges. BGE electricity accounts, however, can stay on Budget Billing. All utilities “true up” your account and recalculate your budget amount as of your new start date with WGES.

What happens if I move and I’m still under contract?

If you move, your account at that address is closed completely, and you will not incur a termination fee.

What happens if I otherwise cancel my contract? Do I have to pay a termination fee?

If you cancel outside of the rescission period, termination fees do apply. These fees are spelled out in your agreement with WGES. If you do terminate, the date will be on the next applicable meter reading date, and an early termination fee which shall be the greater of $150 OR $20 per month for each month remaining in the contract term.

When will my WGES energy supply actually start?

On your first applicable meter reading, which is usually within 3 weeks to 4 weeks of approval by WGES.

What happens at the end of my WGES contract term?

You’ll receive a renewal offer about 45 days before your term is over. You are not obligated to renew.

Who is Washington Gas Energy Services?

WGES is one of the largest energy suppliers in the mid-Atlantic region, has been in business for more than 10 years, and serves more than 230,000 customers. While it is owned by the same company as the utility company called "Washington Gas," they are two completely separate businesses.

If Electric Advisors does not charge me for services, how do you make money?

Pretty simple, actually. We get paid directly by our supplier, Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES), for each new residential account we bring to them. Because WGES pays us, we do not require you to pay us.

How is Electric Advisors related to WGES?

EA is an agent of Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES), and has established a marketing-services agreement with WGES. The primary objective of this agreement is to develop new and special electricity/natural-gas offers for residential customers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Virginia and other states where applicable.

Electricity

What are System Charges?

These are charges from your utility company, typically used for utility accounting, billing and other administrative costs.

What are Distribution Charges?

These are charges from your utility company, used for moving energy through their pipes or wires to your meter.

What is Peak Load Contribution (PLC) for Transmission?

The amount of transmission capacity, based on your account’s usage, that WGES must reserve for your account.

Where does my utility get my electricity?

Both your current utility and WGES get electricity supplies from regional power plants or generation facilities. WGES also offers electricity generated from wind-power facilities, while electric utilities do not offer electricity generated from these renewable sources. WGES electricity helps improve regional air quality since some of its power is generated from renewable wind power sources.

What is an electric Kilowatt hour (kWh)?

This is the measure of electricity usage over time: usage during an hour, monthly usage for billing, annual usage, etc.

What is an electric Kilowatt (kW) or Kilowatt Demand (KWD)?

Kilowatt is the measure of active electricity demand; Kilowatt demand is the maximum amount of electricity used during a specific point in time.

What is Capacity Peak Load Contribution (PLC)?

The amount of generating capacity, based on your account usage, WGES must provide to your account. The Capacity PLC represents your account’s maximum kilowatt demand. The utility uses your account’s Capacity PLC when determining your account’s rate schedule and load profile, which sets its billing rates.

What is electricity transmission?

The movement of electricity from the electricity generating facility (power plant) to your electric utility’s power distribution system.

What are the minimum usage levels for residential customers?

An annual usage of 7,000 kWh is the minimum for opening a residential electricity supply account with WGES.
WGES reserves the sole right to accept certain accounts not meeting annual usage minimums. Electric Advisors has no input or influence into what WGES accepts or does not accept.

Does WGES offer Variable Pricing for Electricity?

No. This is primarily because electric utility rates are set for longer periods of time, like quarter, seasonally and annually. Utility gas rates, meantime, are set monthly. The longer the time frame utility rates are set, the more certainty exists about customer utility rates in the near term, which can be lower or higher than current market prices. However, WGES will continue to keep offering products desired by customers, and variable-priced electricity may be offered if and when this becomes desired by its customers.

I don’t want to sign a contract with a Termination Fee. Can I get out of it?

In a word, no. Please keep in mind that WGES truly commits to customers that sign up with them. WGES actually buys your energy supply when you first sign up with them, and intends to follow through on supplying this commitment throughout your term. And WGES gets you the best prices when you commit to them. The Termination Fee helps ensure that both WGES and you, the customer, are fully committed to the agreement.

Natural Gas

Where does my utility get my natural gas?

Most natural gas in this area comes from wells near the Gulf of Mexico, or from Appalachia.

What is a natural gas therm?

One therm is defined as 100,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units), and is a measure of heating content. Most gas utility rates are expressed as $ per therm. However, Columbia Gas (Virginia) rates are expressed as $ per CCF. One CCF is 100 cubic feet, and one CCF is about 1.02 therms on average.

What are natural gas Balancing Charges?

Very simply, gas utilities have storage facilities that ensure customers have enough gas supply in the winter, while not having too much supply in the summer. The costs for these facilities are recovered in Balancing Charges. WGES customers pay the same Balancing Charges that utilities charge -- no more, no less.

Note for Columbia Gas (VA) customers: When Columbia Gas (VA) customers choose a supplier, the balancing charges move from being included in your Columbia Commodity Charges to your Columbia Distribution Charges. It looks like your Distribution Charges go up, but not really because the increase simply is how Columbia Gas recovers Balancing Charges: by moving them to another part of the bill.

What are the minimum usage levels for residential customers?

An annual usage of 700 therms is the minimum for opening a residential natural-gas supply account with WGES.
WGES reserves the sole right to accept certain accounts not meeting annual usage minimums. Electric Advisors has no input or influence into what WGES accepts or does not accept.

How long has WGES offered Fixed Prices?

For more than 10 years. Most WGES customers currently are on Fixed Price plans. A Fixed Price is a guaranteed price protection that removes all uncertainty from what you will pay for energy during the term of the contract.

I don’t want to sign a contract with a Termination Fee. Can I get out of it?

In a word, no. Please keep in mind that WGES truly commits to customers that sign up with them. WGES actually buys your energy supply when you first sign up with them, and intends to follow through on supplying this commitment throughout your term. And WGES gets you the best prices when you commit to them. The Termination Fee helps ensure that both WGES and you, the customer, are fully committed to the agreement.

You can also download our Residential- and Green-related FAQs. And if you’re ready to lower your rates, you can go directly to our Sign Up page, or use the navigation at the top of this column to return to your local utility page.

If you have questions we did not answer in our FAQ sections, you can ask to be contacted by a real live human being. Use our Contact form (below), and one of our advisors will be in touch with you by the next business day at the latest. If you wish to be called back, please leave your phone number in the main message area.

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