Difference Between a Utility and an Electric Provider?
Depending on your residence, you might think that your Supplier, Provider, and Utility are all the same. However, in states with natural gas markets and deregulated electricity, there is a crucial difference.
A Provider is a company that provides you with customer service, bills, rates, and plans.
A Utility is a company that delivers gas or electricity to your home and maintains electrical equipment.
For many years, utilities used to be one-stop places for generating gas or electricity to customers and processing payments. At that time, customers had no choice in the matter – their utilities depended on where they lived.
Hugh O’Kane Electric has long been the chief supplier of electrical maintenance and construction services.
Utility Companies. What are they?
The utility company owns and maintains the transformers, poles, wires, and lines that deliver gas and electricity to buildings and homes. A few of the roles of the Utility is to restore power after serious emergencies and weather, fixing gas leaks, and checking meters.
Perhaps, you are not sure of which Utility company service you need for your business or home; we recommend that you, first of all, consult your gas or electricity bill for this information. After consulting, and it doesn’t tell you the company that takes care of the infrastructure in your area, you should call your provider.
It is crucial to remember who your Utility is, as this will help you know the company to contact if you ever experience a gas leak, power outage, or any other emergency. While they might not be the company that bills you, they play an essential role in the energy process. This is because they supply the energy to your home and ensure that there are no interruptions.
Retail Energy Providers
Providers are also known as third-party suppliers, alternative suppliers, or competitive suppliers. They are companies that sell gas or electricity to customers. While a provider buys gas and electricity from power generators, you buy it from any Provider of your choice.
Customers holding all power are the benefits of deregulation in the energy grid. You can pick the provider that you feel is right for your business and home. You can also switch to another provider if you feel that your current provider isn’t meeting your needs.
Who Should You Call: Your Provider or Utility?
If you have both a Provider and a Utility, there can be a bit of confusion on who to reach out to for service. The answer depends on the type of service you require.
Contact your Provider if you want the following:
1. Transfer your service to a new address
2. You desire to change or cancel your plan
Contact your Utility if:
1. You are having challenges with your meter
2. You experience an unexpected gas leak, power outage, or other related issues.
3. You desire to report a gas leak, down power lines, or other emergencies.
Hugh OKane, has dedicated experts who can take care of your entire electrical needs. Feel free to contact us if you need our services or have questions to ask us, and we shall be glad to meet your needs.
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