|
|
| |
 |
|
|
What If?
|
|
|
| |
What is Changing?
Changes in the electric utility industry will affect consumers in much
the same way that deregulation of telephone service did. While your local phone
company continues to maintain the same telephone wires that run into your home,
deregulation empowers you to choose your long distance service provider.
Electricity deregulation will work similarly. Your local distribution utility
will still be there, as always, to install and maintain the power lines that
bring electricity into your home. With deregulation, a variety of companies may
compete to supply you with that power.
Competition in the power industry may lead to new products and service
innovations, just as telephone deregulation brought call waiting, caller ID and
mobile phones. Electric companies and energy marketers will have similar
incentives to offer new products and services to meet consumer demand.
This on-line guide is designed to help you understand the changes taking place
in the electricity business. It is intended to answer the most common questions
consumers ask. Our goal is to help you take advantage of the benefits of
electricity deregulation and avoid the potential pitfalls.
What if I don't want to change?
Exercising your option to remain with NOVEC couldn't be easier. If you
do not select another supplier, you will automatically remain a NOVEC supplied
customer. No matter which company you choose, NOVEC will continue to be
responsible for delivering your power and providing you with the reliable
service that you have grown to expect.
If I change suppliers, will NOVEC treat me differently?
NOVEC will not discriminate against you based on your choice of electricity
suppliers. We will continue to provide you with reliable delivery and hometown
service.
Will my service be less reliable if I change?
No. The company that builds and maintains the lines delivering
electricity to you will remain regulated and the reliability of the
distribution network should not be affected by changes in the industry. Even
though the supply or generation portion of the industry will be unregulated, it
will be in everyone’s - the customer’s, the power suppliers’ and the local
distribution companies’ - best interest to assure your supply is reliable.
In addition to the normal list of things that can cause power outages (i.e.,
storms or accidents) there are two issues that may affect the reliability of
electricity supplies:
-
Inadequate generation resources, and
-
Limitations on the ability of the existing transmission system to move bulk
power from one region to another.
Disruptions in the supply of power to your home can potentially occur if
unusually high demand for energy exceeds the available supply or if the
transmission and distribution system unexpectedly becomes overloaded. Although
the United States enjoys the world's best and most-reliable electricity system,
there have been isolated instances in the past in which these types of
disruptions have occurred.
Unlike the telephone company, which can give you a busy signal when circuits
are overloaded, there is no easy remedy for the equivalent problem in the
electric power industry. If the transmission and distribution system becomes
overloaded, the electric company first reduces voltage (a brownout), which can
result in a visible dimming of your lights. Then, and only if necessary,
customers are disconnected (usually in the form of rotating blackouts), in
order to ensure that available power can be delivered to critical customers,
such as hospitals.
Unfortunately, deregulation may initially make it more difficult in some
regions to avoid overloading the power transmission and distribution system.
The power lines that exist in the United States today were built to serve the
traditional flow of electricity "traffic." In a deregulated market, the flow of
electricity from one region to another is likely to be somewhat less
predictable. This potentially could create "congestion" in certain local
electrical distribution networks.
In extreme cases, the delivery of power may be disrupted in high "traffic"
areas until the emerging new usage patterns become more apparent and the
transmission and distribution system can be upgraded where necessary. If your
home is located in one of these congested areas, the reliability of your power
supply could suffer during the early stages of competition. This is unlikely to
occur for most customers.
What Can You Do If You Want To Stay Informed?
Your first responsibility is to stay informed. While you may be tempted to skip
over the latest article on electric deregulation in the local paper or click
off news coverage of the subject, it is important for you to be aware of your
options and to gather information now that will be useful in making good
decisions in the future.
To help you stay more informed, bookmark the competition section of our web
site in your favorites file to follow recent developments in deregulation.
Also, you can visit the Virginia Energy
Choice web site for information.
Power Supply
Some things will change…
With deregulation, a variety of companies may compete to supply you with that
power. You may receive offers from various companies wanting to supply your
power. You can choose a competitive service provider based on price,
environmental factors or other services you find important.
|
 |
|
