Helping Your Business: Utilities

Utilities
About half of states have deregulated their electricity markets, which means you may be able to get a better deal by comparing providers. Some utilities also offer level payment plans, letting you sign up for fixed monthly payments based on an estimate of your year’s consumption. In some cases the company continues to record your usage each month. If you use less than the forecast, you’ll get a refund at the end of the year. Another option: time-of-use plans. These divide the day into peak, mid-peak, and off-peak hours. The more you can shift your energy use to mid- and off-peak hours, the more you’ll save. Pacific Gas & Electric, in California, offers savings of nearly 70% for shifting use to off-peak hours.