If you’ve ever struggled with choosing an electric service provider in New Jersey, then this article is for you. I have just personally spent a rigorous 2 weeks going through all the options for my business, and I finally settled on one. (I won’t say which one–my situation and yours will vary, so you have to choose on your own.)
1) All Electric companies in NJ provide the same services–sort of.
Electric companies offer the same services, but they bundle them differently. FirstEnergy offers a greater number of bundles for environmentally friendly energy–including wind, solar, and biogas. PSE&G offers these as well, but you have to sign up for the services separately, which can add a premium cost to something that should be priced low.
2) Utilities Pricing in New Jersey is expensive–everywhere. But there are ways to save.
Energy is 19 cents a kilowatt in New Jersey, versus 11 cents on average throughout the rest of the country. Therefore it’s critical to watch your usage–and your pennies–when it comes to service.
Right now, PSE&G is working with the New Jersey government to give incentives to those who use less energy. Smaller companies, like Green Mountain Energy Company, do not have the capacity to extend these incentives Electrician Services Cost to customers. You should definitely ask about incentives when you call to connect service. At the moment there are many companies that can give you premium rates in exchage for creative energy reduction solutions.
3) If the environment is your main concern, go with a smaller company.
Thanks to tax rebates, SRAC sales to the state, and much more, New Jersey has many options when it comes to renewable energy. However, larger energy providers like PSE&G and FirstEnergy, do not have much incentive to offer highly efficient energy sources, because they have a near monopoly on the market. If you really want to go green, I recommend Green Mountain (renewable), PALMco Energy (for natural gas, one of the truly 0 emission energy sources), or GDF SUEZ for retail clean energy.
4) If you think electricity rates are going to go up (like I do), choose a fixed-rate plan.
Fixed-rate energy plans guarantee a certain price for energy over a 1-, 5-, or even 10-year period. This can save you a lot of money when it comes to the volatile energy price sector. Perhaps I’m just paranoid, after living through the ENRON price gauging (remember “Operation Death Star”?) in California in the late 1990s, but this was a key factor for my choice.
5) If you are a commercial entity, go with an electric utility that specializes in businesses.
There is no need for you to go with one of the Big 2 if you are buying energy for your business, particularly if your business is a power-intensive operation, such as an IT data center. Check out Hess Corp–they supply Office Jobs For Electricians major industrial customers, and might be able to get you bulk discounts on your energy (vs bulk penalties, as some electric providers will hit you with. Did I mention energy is a strange industry in New Jersey?)
In the end, you need to consider all 5 factors when you make your choice for electric companies in NJ. I hope you end up as happy with your energy provider as I am.
