Your Natural Gas Supplier Is Your Choice
The Energy Choice Program is a voluntary program that provides Pennsylvania customers with the opportunity to select a natural gas supplier that best meets their energy needs. So, what exactly does that mean?
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Energy Choice Program
Many people do not realize that just because you pay a gas bill every month, that doesn’t mean that the “gas company” is your natural gas supplier. For Peoples customers in Pennsylvania, we are your Natural Gas Distribution Company (NGDC). As a NGDC, we provide two separate services:
- We purchase natural gas for your use.
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We deliver natural gas to your home.
Through the Energy Choice Program, our customers have the freedom to purchase their natural gas supply from an approved Natural Gas Supplier (NGS) or from Peoples. If you choose a NGS other than Peoples, this means that Peoples will still deliver the natural gas to your home, but the gas itself would be coming from a different supplier. That other supplier may be able to offer pricing, terms, and special incentives not available from a regulated utility like Peoples. As a regulated utility, Peoples charges customers the same price that we, as a company, pay for the gas supply, and then we update that price quarterly. By choosing a NGS, you receive your natural gas supply at unregulated prices.
You can visit our Shop for Gas page to view a list of approved suppliers that are licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). On this page, we will also walk you through how to shop for a natural gas supplier, provide helpful tips, and offer a list of questions you should ask potential suppliers.
If you are considering participating in the Energy Choice Program, we strongly encourage you to do your homework before switching to another supplier. While we cannot recommend a specific supplier, our Shop for Gas page provides a couple of helpful places to start, including the PUC’s PA Gas Switch site and the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate’s “Residential Consumer’s Natural Gas Shopping Guide.” Our Shop for Gas page also includes Peoples’ “Price to Compare,” which is the price you pay if you purchase your natural gas from Peoples. You can use this price and compare it with other natural gas suppliers.
While choosing a different supplier can be beneficial to some customers, make sure you understand the contract terms, such as length of the contract, whether the price is fixed or variable, and any cancellation or switching fees.
Keep in mind that whether you choose a different Natural Gas Supplier or not, since Peoples is your Natural Gas Distribution Company, we will continue to provide you with safe and efficient delivery of your natural gas, high quality customer service, and quick response to natural gas emergencies.