Consumers ask "Why are electric delivery costs so high?"  Take a few minutes to learn about the costs that are recovered through your electric bill.

Video: Understand Your Eversource Electric Bill

Video: Understand Your United Illuminating Electric Bill

When looking for ways to lower your electric cost, it is very important to understand your bill, how to manage your generation supply rates and that choosing a supplier does not affect your delivery rates.  There are two parts to your electric bill, described below.

• Delivery charges - fully regulated and not open to competition, delivery charges cover items such as distribution, transmission, and public benefits charge.

PURA recently suspended a rate increase to the Eversource delivery rates that was effective July 1, 2020 and will reexamine that increase in Docket No. 20-01-01.

• Generation supply charges - deregulated and open to competition from licensed suppliers. Generation supply charges reflect the cost of the electricity you use.

If you choose a supplier to lower your electric costs PURA strongly encourages you to follow your contract rate and term to avoid increases that can occur when the contract ends.  The supply rate and other contract information, your Supply Summary, are displayed on the first page of your residential electric bill.  The second information tab on this page (below) provides the information you need to understand the Supply Summary.  Please take a moment to review this information.  Contact PURA at 800-382-4586 if you need help understanding the Supply Summary.

UI and Eversource residential customers are urged to regularly review important information that is displayed on the first page of their electric bill.  E-Bill customers and those who have automatic payment arrangements must open the billing statement to view this critical information.

Please share this information with family and friends.

Suppliers are required to provide information about your residential generation supply contract to UI and Eversource that must be displayed on the first page of your electric bill.  Suppliers are responsible for the accuracy of this data.

The Supply Summary includes:

• Supplier contact information;
• Supplier's current generation supply rate;
• Supplier's contract term and expiration;
• Supplier's Next Cycle Rate; the rate that will be assessed in your next usage period;
• The Eversource or UI Standard Service generation supply rate;
• A comparison of the total amount charged by the supplier and what you would be charged at the Standard Service rate.

If "Not Provided" is displayed anywhere in the Supply Summary, you can contact your supplier to request the information or contact PURA. If you have questions about electric suppliers or the Supply Summary or wish to file a complaint you can call PURA's Consumer Affairs Unit toll-free at (800) 382-4586 or contact PURA electronically.

UI Supply Summary

1. Contact Information: Your Supplier's information;
2. Supplier Rate: The supply rate charge per kilowatt-hour by the Supplier;
3. Next Cycle Rate: The Supplier rate for your next usage period;
4. Term: How many billing cycles the Supplier rate will be assessed;
5. Expiration: The meter read date the Supplier rate expires;
6. *Cancellation Fee: Connecticut no longer allows suppliers to enroll residential customers into contracts with early termination fees.
7. Standard Service Rate: The current UI supply rate;
8. Standard Service Term: The duration of the Standard Service rate;
9. Expiration: The date that the Standard Service rate expires;
10. Your Supplier Charge: The total charge from your Supplier;
11. UI Standard Service Comparison: The amount you would have paid at the UI Standard Service rate;
12. Supply Summary: Informs you that your Supplier provides UI the information that is listed and that you should review for accuracy;
13. Return to Standard Service: How to return to the Standard Service rate. 

Eversource Supply Summary

1. Supplier Rate: The generation rate charge per kilowatt-hour by the Supplier;
2. Term: How many billing cycles the Supplier rate will be assessed;
3. Expiration: The meter read date the Supplier rate expires;
4. Next Cycle Rate: The Supplier rate for your next usage period;
5. *Cancellation Fee: Connecticut no longer allows suppliers to enroll residential customers into contracts with early termination fees.
6. Standard Service Rate: The current Eversource Standard Service supply rate;
7. Standard Service Term & Expiration: The duration of the Standard Service rate and date it ends;
8. Your Supplier Charge: The total charge from your Supplier;
9. Eversource Standard Service Comparison: The amount you would have paid at the Eversource Standard Service rate;
10. Contact Information: Your Supplier's information;
11. Message: Information about the Supply Summary and how to return to the Standard Service rate. 

Customers are often told that switching to a supplier can take one or two meter cycles or up to two months.  Here are the facts.

The process is designed to switch an account on the customer's next scheduled meter reading date if the enrollment is submitted in time to make the switch.  So it's important to know when your meter will be read.  Your meter read date and meter cycle number is on your utility bill - see sample bills below.

Fact: Enrollments are NOT SUBMITTED on the day that you speak with a supplier:

• Suppliers must hold an enrollment for three days in case the customer chooses to cancel.  Customers can cancel without penalty during this time.
• Once the supplier submits the enrollment, Eversource and UI need two business days to process it.  Weekends and holidays are NOT considered business days.
• These safeguards are intended to protect consumers.

Fact: It is best to plan for TEN BUSINESS DAYS before your meter read date to enroll with a supplier or to switch from supplier-to-supplier:

It might appear that a customer can enroll five days before their meter reading and expect the switch to be processed and become effective with the next meter reading.  Under ideal conditions this may occur.  However, the supplier might not submit an enrollment immediately after the three day cancellation period or may submit the enrollment immediately after the cancellation period which could fall on a Saturday (non-business day) or later in the day on say a Friday, before a Monday holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday being non-business days).  These and other scenarios will require more than five business days to successfully process an enrollment.

• To assure that an enrollment happens on the next scheduled meter reading PURA recommends that customers enroll at least TEN BUSINESS DAYS before their scheduled meter read date.
• If you enroll too close to your next scheduled meter read date the enrollment may not be processed in time for the switch.
• In this case, the utility will hold the enrollment and it will NOT BE PROCESSED until the following month's meter reading.

Fact: PURA recommends the following:

• Ask the supplier when the enrollment will be processed.
• Follow up with your utility a few days after speaking with the supplier to assure that the enrollment has been received and processed.

Fact: You must provide accurate infomation:

• Eversource customers must provide their account number, name key and service reference number.
• UI customers must provide their account number, name key and POD Identification number.
• Customers must provide ACCURATE ACCOUNT INFORMATION or the enrollment will be delayed.

Eversource Residential Bill - Meter Reading Information - Page 2

UI Residential Bill - Meter Reading Information - Page 1

Standard Service is the generation supply option offered by Eversource and UI. Standard Service rates change on January 1st and July 1st and remain fixed for 6 months.

The Standard Service rates are announced about 45 days before they become effective and are posted on the EnergizeCT.com Rate Board and each utility’s website when they are approved.

Standard Service rates reflect the actual cost paid by Eversource and UI to purchase electricity.  As a result, Eversource and UI do not earn a profit by providing Standard Service generation supply.

Suppliers are licensed by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and offer an alternative to Eversource and UI Standard Service generation supply. You can compare supplier offers on Connecticut's official generation supply Rate Board on EnergizeCT.com.

Residential customers can return to Eversource or UI Standard Service at any time by contacting Eversource or UI directly. Residential customers can choose to return to Standard Service immediately or on their next meter read date.

Eversource or UI will issue a a prorated bill if you return to Standard Service before your meter read date.

Requesting to return to Standard Service through your supplier could delay the transfer by one to two billing cycles.

Business customers are generally returned to Standard Service on their next meter read date.  Check with Eversource or UI regarding an immediate return to Standard Service.

Check your supply contract or the Supply Summary located on the first page of your residential electric bill for contract information.

The Supply Summary that appears on the first page of your residential bill includes contact information for your current supplier as well as the rate you are paying, the contract term, expiration, and the rate you will pay in your next billing cycle.

The Supply Summary also compares the cost you are paying to the cost you would pay if you were taking Standard Service generation supply from Eversource or UI. 

After October 1, 2015, suppliers cannot offer variable rate plans to residential customers.  After that date all residential plans must be fixed for at least four billing cycles.

Be aware of the terms and conditions of your contract.  Information about your current supplier and contract is provided in the Supply Summary on the first page of your residential electric bill.  This information includes the supplier, contract term, expiration, and the rate you will pay in your next consumption period.

Residents who renewed a variable rate contract or enrolled in a variable rate contracts and did not switch to a fixed rate plan prior to October 1, 2015 can be billed under variable rates.  Check the Supply Summary information on your residential bill for this information.

Business customers are not affected by the ban on variable rates.

All electricity sold in CT must meet the state’s minimum renewable energy certificate requirement. Some suppliers offer plans that exceed this minimum certificate requirement.  Ask the supplier where the certificates originate.  For example, are the certificates associated with renewable energy sources in Texas or the midwest.  Also ask about the type of resource; is it wind, solar, trash-to-energy, etc.  Also be aware that renewable energy certificates do not mean you are buying the energy produced from the resource.  Certificates are traded and provide additional financial support for renewable energy sources.