Illinois is one of the few states with a deregulated retail electric market. Deregulation gives customers the choice of electric suppliers. This, in theory, is supposed to encourage competitive prices and keep energy costs down for consumers. In practice, however, deregulation can cause confusion and frustration, specifically for solar customers with net metering credits. If you have a co-op or municipal utility like Jo-Carroll, this does not apply to you.
What is a Retail Electric Supplier?
A Retail Electric Supplier (RES) is any electricity company that has been certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission to sell electricity to residential and commercial customers.
How Do I find Out Who My Retail Electric Supplier Is?
Your RES is listed on your electric bill. Take a look at this example:
In this Example, you can see that Nordic Energy Services is the RES, and ComEd only delivers the power.
What’s the Difference Between a RES and a Utility Company?
A RES focuses strictly on supplying you electricity. Meanwhile, a utility company, such as ComEd, is responsible for maintenance and emergency repairs on their infrastructure to deliver energy to consumers. ComEd does supply energy to some of its customers, but not all.
Why Do I Have a ComEd Bill?
ComEd may be your utility company, but they may not be your RES. Your RES is paid through your utility company. Essentially, your ComEd bill is a combination of supply fees, delivery charges, and taxes.
Why Is This Important?
Townships and municipalities may change RES, which can affect several things. First, this can cause changes to the amount you pay per month for electricity. RES may have a different price per kWh, and townships may switch to reduce costs. Usually, when a township is changing to a different RES, it is due to an enticing lower cost.
Secondly, if you change RES as a solar net metering customer, you will lose your net metering credits. The credits your solar pv system build up are not transferable to another retail electric supplier.
In comparison to other states, Illinois has a great net metering policy! In most states with net metering, credits only last for one month. Net metering in Illinois lasts for one year, and electric companies must credit you at the same rate they charge you for electricity. However, the yearly net metering means you may lose out on more credits if you switch RES.
What if I Receive a Letter About My RES?
If your town or municipality changes RES, you will receive a letter in the mail. Do not disregard this letter. This letter includes important details on how to opt out of the supplier change and keep your current provider. If you have net metering credits and would like to keep them, you must opt out of the supplier change.
Call Stateline Solar if you receive a letter regarding a RES change. We’ll walk you through the critical steps you need to take to keep your current supplier. If you disregard the letter, the township will automatically change your RES, and you will lose your net metering credits. Once your net metering credits are lost, you cannot switch to your previous provider and get them back.
What if I want to Switch to a Different Supplier?
As a consumer in a deregulated electric market, you have the right to change retail electric suppliers. If you have net metering credits from a solar pv system, we recommend that you make the switch in March. Your net metering credits expire every April per ComEd policy, so switching in March ensures that you are not losing a significant amount of credits that you have built throughout the previous year. If you need assistance during the transition, give Stateline Solar a call.
Again, changing retail electric suppliers (RES) may result in net metering credits and a change in your power bill. If you have additional questions regarding RES, how to find your RES on your power bill, or switching to a different supplier, Stateline Solar is a readily available resource to answer those questions. We’ll help keep you informed and walk you through important steps to ensure you keep your net metering credits.