Excerpts from The Baltimore Sun:
As more customers and companies jump into Maryland’s electricity-purchase market, there are reports of problems… But the options for getting a good deal on power are rising, too.
As of July, 28 percent of customers at the state’s four largest electric utilities were buying from suppliers, according to the most recent data from the Maryland Public Service Commission. That’s up from 24 percent a year ago and 20 percent the year before that.
Part of the story is more options.
For the first five years that Marylanders could shop around, there wasn’t much choice in “electric choice” — only one supplier sold to Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.‘s residential customers aside from the utility. Now BGE’s residential customers have 49 companies to pick from — triple the options of just three years ago.
(In addition to potential cost savings) you could buy electricity generated from renewable energy sources and — for the best deal — pay what BGE would charge you for standard power from the grid
But as the market expands, so have some consumers’ frustrations. The most common problem, after billing disputes, was “slamming” — providers switching customers without their consent.
A Note from ACCES:
Make sure you know your rights as an energy consumer by visiting the Consumer Tools section of this website, and read through our 10 Tips to Identify Legitimate Energy Suppliers in Telemarketing and Door-to-Door Marketing.
You can read the full story from The Baltimore Sun: