The following contains excerpts from “The Power of Choice: Consumer Preferences on Choice in Florida and Ohio,” a June 2017 white paper published by the American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers (ACCES). To access the white paper, please click here.

The American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers (ACCES) recently sponsored an independent consumer opinion survey to measure awareness and understanding of energy choice in two states -- one where energy choice is available and one where it is not.

The survey found that consumers are overwhelmingly in favor of energy choice. In Florida, a state that does not allow energy choice, 78% of consumers surveyed believe consumers should have the ability to choose their energy provider. In Ohio, where consumers have the ability to choose, 71% of consumers said competitive choice was extremely or very important to them. The sample size for the survey was 500 energy consumers each in Florida and Ohio.

The survey also found that awareness of energy choice in Ohio was high, with 84% of those surveyed indicating they were aware of their ability to choose a company other than their utility to provide them with electricity and natural gas. 

While price remains an important factor in a consumer’s decision to choose an energy supplier, other factors play a significant role in shaping consumer energy preferences and their perception of value. These include cost savings from lower energy rates, fixed-term agreements, the ability to choose energy sourced from renewable options and the opportunity to avail themselves of energy efficiency products and services.

As a retail energy supplier serving residential and business customers in DC, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, WGL Energy Services (WGL Energy) delivers a full spectrum of energy offerings, including electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, carbon reduction, distributed generation and energy efficiency solutions:

• Our fixed-term electricity and natural gas agreements are great for residential customers who want the peace of mind that comes from knowing their electricity supply prices will remain the same over their entire contract period.
• Our fixed-term electricity and natural gas agreements for commercial customers offer convenient procurement vehicles and budget-neutral energy solutions for organizations that want to manage energy costs across one or more buildings.
• Our Green-e^® Energy certified wind power products are for residential customers who want to improve air quality and protect the environment
• Our renewable energy for large business customers looking to implement sustainable business practices.
• Our energy efficiency offerings include access to our Energy Management Platform, or EMP, a free online tool designed to help government, commercial and industrial customers save money through customized energy efficiency recommendations.

 For more on how energy choice can benefit you, please contact the WGL Energy Customer Care Center on 1-844-4ASKWGL (1-844-427-5945).

About the American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers (ACCES)
The American Coalition of Competitive Energy Suppliers (ACCES) is a group of competitive retail natural gas and electricity suppliers committed to consumer education and media outreach, in order to help consumers better understand and take advantage of the benefits of energy choice. Visit their website to learn more.

WGL Energy Services is a member of ACCES.