SUPPLIER
INFORMATION
How will I know which
suppliers are interested
in providing service in my
area?
A list
of licensed suppliers for
Duquesne Light residential customers is
available on this web site.
Suppliers may also contact
you directly to market
their services.
How do I find out
supplier prices?
Suppliers can provide
this information. The list
of licensed suppliers for
Duquesne Light customers
provided on this web site
includes toll-free numbers
and web addresses. You can
use this information to
contact different
suppliers and compare
their prices.
If suppliers contact you
directly -- either by
phone or by mail--they
must be able to quote you
a price.
Which supplier is
cheapest?
This is something you must
investigate for yourself.
Only you can decide what
is the best plan for you.
The cost per kilowatt-hour
may not be your only
consideration. Some
companies may charge a
monthly fee. (You may be
offered a month of free
service at the end of an
agreement.) Some people may
only want energy from
suppliers who generate
electricity from renewable
sources, which could cost
more, but better suit your
needs.
How long have the
suppliers been in
business?
Many suppliers began participating in the
pilot program in
November/December 1997.
They are all licensed by
the PA PUC. Some suppliers
have been in business for
years, others are newly
formed. This is a newly
developing market. The
most important point to
remember is that Duquesne
Light will have electric
service available if a
supplier fails to deliver
electricity.
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PRICE
TO COMPARE
What is the 'price to
compare'?
This is the kilowatt-hour
(kWh) amount a consumer
uses to compare prices and
potential savings among
generation suppliers. For
your specific price to
compare, call
412-393-7100.
How do I figure out
savings?
To estimate potential
monthly savings, subtract
the supplier's price from
the price to compare from
Duquesne Light. Then,
multiply the difference by
the average number of
kilowatt-hours (kWh) you
use in a month.
Additionally, when
comparing prices, it's
also important to consider
the effect of time-of-day
pricing or other offers.
If a supplier offers a
discount, be sure to find
out what part of your bill
that discount applies to
(for example, does it
apply to your entire bill
or just the generation
charge?). Click
here to figure out
your savings.
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PARTICIPATION
What questions should I
ask a supplier before
making a choice?
You should ask
questions that help
you make a choice based on
what is important to you.
If it interests you, ask
about the source of
supply. If you are
interested in billing
options, make sure you get
a clear explanation of any
option available to you.
If you are interested in
time-of-day rates, ask if
a supplier offers
time-of-day rates.
If I sign up with a new
supplier, when will the
switch to that company
happen?
Generally, it will take
about 45 days from the
time you notify your new
supplier for the actual
switch to occur.
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CHANGING
SUPPLIERS
How can I change
suppliers?
If you still
want to change suppliers,
simply contact the new
supplier. (You should review your
agreement with your
supplier to see if there
are any penalties for
early cancellation. If
your agreement provides
for a penalty, you must
decide if this risk is
acceptable. There may also
be a charge for changing
suppliers.)
Your new supplier will
notify Duquesne Light of
the change. We will
contact you by mail to
make sure you requested
the change in supplier.
Your electric service will
not be interrupted when
you change suppliers.
However, if you violate
the terms of a supplier
agreement, the supplier
could take legal action to
enforce the agreement.
Also, you should negotiate
terms with your new
supplier of choice.
Perhaps that new supplier
may offer to pay any
switching fees.
Is there a penalty for
changing suppliers?
There may be a penalty
written into the terms of
your supplier agreement.
You should read that
document carefully. You
must be aware that this is
a legal agreement that is
enforceable through legal
process.
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BILLING
INFORMATION
Will I receive two
electric bills each month
if I choose a new
supplier?
Some electric generation
suppliers might want to
bill you separately. This
is a question you should
ask suppliers when
shopping.
Will Duquesne Light
charge me more for
"other services"
if I change suppliers?
Duquesne Light cannot
increase any charges based
on your selection of an
alternative supplier.
Will I be charged taxes
on the generation portion
of the bill?
Yes. Taxes are embedded in
the rate charged by a
supplier. Most of the same
taxes that Duquesne Light
was required to pay will
be charged by the
supplier. However, they
may not be itemized like
they were on Duquesne
Light's bill.
Can I be in the
Electric Choice Program
and still benefit from a
time of day rate?
Perhaps. You must be very
sure to compare the rates
you are being charged for
off-peak service with the
rate you will be charged
from a competitive
supplier. You may not
realize as much benefit
from generation
competition as other
customers if you already
have a specially reduced
rate on your off-peak
meter.
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SLAMMING
How can I guard against
slamming?
Preventative measures have
been taken to protect you
from slamming. First, your
chosen supplier must send
you the terms of your
agreement in writing.
After receiving this, you
may cancel your agreement
for any reason within
three days. Second, if
Duquesne Light receives
notification of a supplier
change, we will send you a
confirmation letter that
you must respond to in 10
days if the information is
incorrect. During that
10-day interval your
account will be restored
without penalty if you
notify Duquesne Light that
you did not authorize the
change of supplier.
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RESTRUCTURING
I've heard talk about
'transition charges' and
'stranded costs.' What are
these and how do they
affect me?
Stranded costs are
expenses for utility
plants and equipment that
were built in a regulated
market and are not
cost-effective in a
competitive electric
market. The PUC allows
companies to recover some
of these costs through a
transition charge on
electric customer bills.
Although these costs have
been itemized on your
electric bill since
February 1999, they are
not new charges. Most of
these costs have been part
of your regulated electric
rates. As a result of the
successful completion of
Duquesne's generation
auction, the company's
transition period ended for most of our residential customer in
March of 2002. This resulted in an average monthly savings
of 16%. Residential electric and add-on heat pump customers will
see their transition charges eliminated at a later date.
This was shortest transition
period out of all the electric utilities in Pennsylvania.
Do we have to pay
stranded costs if we are
buying generation from a
supplier?
Yes. Stranded costs have
nothing to do with who
provides the generation
portion of your service.
All customers who receive
power over Duquesne
Light's transmission and
distribution system will
pay stranded costs as
approved by the PUC. These
costs disappeared for many Duquesne Light customers
in March 2002. As a result, the
average residential
customer received a rate reduction
of over approximately 16%, assuming the
customer continues to
purchase power at the
shopping credit level.
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ENERGY
ASSISTANCE
Will LIHEAP/CRISIS
program payments cover
supplier charges?
Before LIHEAP/CRISIS
payments can be made to
any qualified service
provider, they must have
an agreement with the PA
Department of Welfare (DPW). Duquesne
Light does have an
agreement with DPW but is
not permitted to forward
program money to any other
entity. As a result, you
may find yourself in a
situation where you have a
credit with Duquesne Light
Company yet owe the
supplier money.
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RENEWABLE
RESOURCES
Which suppliers use
renewables?
Some suppliers will
advertise that they use
renewable resources. Some
will have a mix of
sources. Each supplier
should be able to tell you
the percent of generation
they sell that is from
renewable resources. You
can find out more about
renewable resources from
the Clean Air Council by calling
717-230-8806 or visiting their web site at www.cleanair.org.
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METERING
Will I need a special
meter if I choose a new
supplier?
In most cases, no. You
might, however, choose to
have an advanced meter,
which can record your
electric use during
specific time periods. If
a supplier offers this
service, advanced metering
could allow you to benefit
from special time-of-day
discounts or other
potential ways to save
money. You should ask a
supplier, however, whether
there is a charge for the
advanced meter.
Will Duquesne Light
continue to be responsible
for my meter?
In most cases, yes.
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SERVICE
Who will I call if I
have an outage?
You should call Duquesne
Light at 412-393-7100
immediately to report
power outages and to
request repairs.
Who do I contact if I
want to discontinue
service?
You should notify Duquesne Light to request discontinuance. If you
are moving within Duquesne Light's service territory, you can
arrange for your new Duquesne Light service at the same time.
You should notify your supplier of the same information. In
turn, the supplier will notify Duquesne Light to re-establish your
contract at your new address. It is important to remember that you
are required to return to Duquesne Light's generation service for
the first billing period at your new location.
What happens if I move
outside Duquesne Light's
service territory?
If you are moving out of Duquesne Light Company's service
territory, you need to notify your supplier of your move. Your
supplier can tell you if they can provide you with service at your
new location.
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GENERAL
Do I have to switch
from my present electric
company?
No.
Can I go back to my
utility company for
generation?
Yes, but you should be
aware that there could be
penalties or fees for
breaking the terms of your
agreement with your
electric generation
supplier.
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All
Duquesne Light information
on this site is protected
under U.S. Copyright laws.
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