Frequently Asked Questions
What is energy market restructuring and why is it important to me?
Energy market restructuring refers to the transformation of the traditional utility structure for generating, transmitting and delivering energy to retail customers, to an open and competitive marketplace as a result of regulatory and legislative initiatives. Thousands of consumers switch suppliers every day, and over the last decade, businesses have realized millions of dollars in savings by transferring their utility service to a competitive energy supplier.
The natural gas market was restructured in the late 1980’s, and followed by the electric market in the mid 1990’s. As a result, consumers were provided the opportunity to purchase their commodity energy from competing energy suppliers. When you switch to competitive energy supply, everything else remains unchanged. Reliability and service stays the same and the local utility company will continue to deliver your electricity or gas. The only difference is that you will pay a competitive supplier for the electricity or natural gas that your facility uses.
Why should I use an energy brokerage firm like Satori Energy?
Quite simply, we save you time and money. While there are definite savings to be reaped by participating in the competitive energy arena -- these markets are complex and volatile. Satori Energy will navigate the maze of electricity and natural gas supply options to find the best fit for your specific business energy needs. We analyze, negotiate contracting, and on an ongoing basis constantly monitor the wholesale markets for spikes and dips ensuring that you benefit from these opportunities for lowering electricity and natural gas supply costs. Satori Energy provides a straightforward procurement process with minimal time commitments and no upfront or out-of-pocket cost from you.
Can I call energy suppliers myself and get a quote?
Yes, you can call several suppliers directly and request a quote. It is likely however, that customers who choose this route will be unable to fully understand the suppliers’ bid proposals. This is because supplier product offerings, and contract terms & conditions vary wildly. More importantly, it is critical to understand the many factors that impact energy supply prices. Satori Energy ensures that you receive the best possible energy contract to meet your needs. We use a comprehensive and proprietary model to analyze inputs such as your facility’s usage levels, how the energy is used, trends in the energy futures markets, competitive timing, regulatory factors, experience with energy suppliers, as well as understanding the “sweet spot” that defines each supplier’s competitiveness. This effort requires industry experience and meticulous research and analysis.
What is the out-of-pocket cost to my company?
There is no out-of-pocket cost to your company. Satori Energy works on behalf of our clients to provide them with pricing offers from various energy suppliers. We are paid a commission by the energy supplier selected by our client, only if a client implements a solution that we have presented. The commission is the same from each supplier, thereby ensuring Satori Energy’s indifference and integrity in the procurement process.
Are all offers from energy suppliers the same?
Quite the opposite. Each supplier has its own standard product offering which may be presented to the customer. For instance, how much bandwidth is allowed per contract? What is the nomination process? Are capacity costs included or passed-through to the customer? Is the contract convertible to a fixed position? Will the transmission costs vary from month to month? These are just a few of the differences that need to be evaluated on an offer by offer basis. Satori Energy provides each client with an "apples-to-apples" comparison of each supplier's pricing proposal and contract offering. This allows our clients to know exactly what they are signing up for, so there are no surprises during the term of the contract.
Which portions of my electricity or gas bill are eligible for quotes from competitive suppliers?
In competitive retail energy markets, consumers can choose to buy the generation or supply portion of their invoices from any supplier other than the local utility. The Transmission and Delivery/Distribution portion of the invoice is still regulated and the local distribution utility will continue to deliver the electricity and natural gas to every facility in its service territory.
With so many variables and so much uncertainty how can I forecast my electric and natural gas costs for next year and beyond?
Satori Energy prepares a line-item energy budget for each client during the procurement process or after a contract is signed. This budget will project future costs based on the actual contract rate and historical usage data (adjusted for anticipated future usage). If there are changes in the regulated Delivery/Distribution portion of the invoice, Satori Energy will revise the budget accordingly.
Are there any fees incurred by switching away from the local utility service?
No, there are no additional charges or fees incurred when a business switches to a competitive energy supplier.
What new meters, wires, and or pipelines will I need to have installed at my facility?
In almost all cases no additional equipment or physical modifications are required to begin service with a competitive energy supplier. The competitive energy supplier will deliver the electricity and natural gas over the same wires and pipelines just as before, because the transmission and distribution system is still owned by the local utility.
Will my reliability be affected by buying electricity from a competitive energy supplier rather than buying from my regular utility company?
No. Regardless of which energy provider we help you choose, your electricity and natural gas will continue to be delivered safely and reliably by the local utility company which is legislatively mandated to ensure the reliability of all customers' electric service within their service territories.
Who do I call if my service is interrupted?
The delivery of the electricity and natural gas is still regulated and maintained by the local utility. A customer whose power goes out should contact the local utility immediately and report the outage.
Will my local utility treat me differently, if I buy energy from a competitive supplier?
Your local utility is required to provide equal service to all of its customers on a non-discriminatory basis. Consumers already pay their local utility territory for delivery of service, as well as for the operation and maintenance of the wires or pipelines. Your local delivery company is indifferent as to where you are buying your commodity energy – in fact, the delivery company does not even know which of their delivery customers is buying energy from a competitive supplier.
If I chose a competitive energy supplier, where will my invoices come from?
If you chose a competitive supplier, there are two invoicing options. One option is to receive a single bill which combines both the delivery charges from your local distribution company and the commodity energy charges from your chosen energy supplier. The other option is to receive two separate bills – one from the distribution company and one from the competitive energy supplier. The invoice format depends on the specific supplier that you choose and their arrangement with the local distribution company. Many suppliers offer both options.
