With energy rates changing as fast as the cycles of energy regulation and deregulation did during the early and mid-nineties, California electricity consumers owe it to their companies to consult regularly with an independent energy consultant such as National Utilities.
With the help of NUC, businesses can lock in a low rate when renegotiating an existing utility contract with suppliers, thanks to knowledgeable energy professionals with a proven track record of knowing when the time is right to take the best advantage of new rates.
When the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission passed laws in 1989, 1992 and 1995 limiting their authority to wholesale transactions while encouraging states to assume responsibility in regulation and deregulation, states were left to the own set and change their rates. This opened a door allowing considerable abuse of the rate payer, in the wild west of California and elsewhere.
During the early 90s, consumers in California paid an average of 50% more for their electricity than other users in the U.S. When the California state legislature passed a deregulation bill in the mid-nineties, many thought it would be a positive move to have competition within the industry. However, at the turn of the century, California’s energy crisis contributed to a slow in deregulation activities as users suffered from rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
The process of deregulation and the subsequent reactionary re-regulation beginning after 2000 resulted in businesses and residential rates simply being misunderstood by a majority of Californians. It was not until the debacle of Enron that people understood they were paying into a system that had been gamed to benefit the largest energy suppliers.
Today, consumers are back to paying about twice the amount they did before deregulation, and as energy prices continue to rise, the $500 billion dollar energy deregulation industry is booming. More and more electricity brokers are entering the industry and these new companies are scrambling to secure customers for essential energy services. But not all brokers are created equal, and big time consumers have to be more cautious than ever in order to secure the best possible rates.
National Utility tracks market electricity costs on an almost minute by minute basis, and in states such as California where costs still fluctuate wildly, timing is key to locking in best rates. It is not necessarily wise to wait until the current contract expires to lock in a new rate. National Utility can help CEOs negotiate or renegotiate with suppliers at the right time, often well before to the expiration of the existing utility contract.
With the help of a qualified energy broker such as National Utilities, businesses can chart a clearer course through California’s troubled energy markets and take advantage of significant cost savings. NUC helps business in major markets to know when and how to negotiate new contracts.
Contact National Utilities to find out how your company can benefit from electricity cost savings. We are your National Electricity Commercial Energy Broker.