After almost a year since my initial inquiries (followup 1, part 2) to the PowerYourWay ESCOs, I’ve decided to look back into the Con Edison residential gas/energy supplier alternatives listed on PowerYourWay.com. A quick search of the ESCOs that might be able to service my area resulted in a list of companies (those that don’t provide residential service are in italic type).

Screening filter #1: Online Customer Support Site
I wanted to ensure any company contacted had a customer portal site that would allow me to view billing/usage history as well as  update mailing and billing information and contact support staff — essentially manage my account without having to phone in. 

After visiting the sites below, I only found three of them that had a support site, of those three, only one was available to NY customers. I sent the following email to those companies I was unable to find a support link:

Hello,
I am considering switching my gas and electric service from Con Edison. Before moving forward, is it possible for customers to manage or update account information online (specifically view billing/usage history, update mailing/billing information and contact support staff)?

Electricity and Gas Providers:

Accent Energy (866) 423-6749

• Can’t find customer service site (only phone)
• No email address available, only 1800 number

Direct Energy (866) 348-4194

• MyAccount link found (only available to Texas Customers)
• Email asking when MyAccount will be available in NY @ Dec 27th

Econnergy Energy Company, Inc. (877) 893-6374)

• Online customer service site 

Hudson Energy Services (877) 483-7669

• Can’t find customer service site (only phone/fax)
• Email sent Dec 27th, 2006
• Reply stated that billing is done through Con Edison and that their rates are:
  Gas:
     $1.101/therm of gas (variable) or 
     $1.079/therm (for 12 months) or 
     $1.119/therm (for 24 months)
  Electric: 
     14.19¢/kWh (for 12 months) or 
     14.69¢/kWh (for 24 months).

IDT Energy (877) 887-6866 (IDT Energy blog)

• Can’t find customer service site (only phone/fax)
• Email sent Dec 27th, 2006
• Reply stated they don’t have any of the options I’m looking for at this time, however I would be able to manage my account through Con Edison.

MXenergy (800) 375-1277

• MyAccount link found (only available to Georgia Customers)
• Email asking when MyAccount will be available in NY @ 11:30pm Dec 27th
• Reply stated that Con Edison does their billing and that their rates are: 
  Gas:
     $1.17/therm of gas (36 month fixed rate) or
     $1.12/therm (for 12 months)
  Electric:
     13.60¢/kWh (variable rate) or 
     15.80¢/kWh fixed through December 2007.

U.S. Energy Savings Corp (888) 674-7847

• Can’t find customer service site (only phone/fax)
• Email sent Dec 27th, 2006
• Automated reply received (which didn’t answer my question) shortly after sending my email. They did quote their current rate of $1.29/therm of gas, and 16.90¢/kWh if you sign a 4-5 year contract.

For reference, the charges on my last bill as as follows: 

• Gas Service: 41 therms used
     $14.37 basic service change
     59.1799¢ for the first 37.8 therms of gas (totalling $22.37) 
     adjustment factor (not entirely sure what this is) of 117.7317¢ (totalling $48.27)
     $3.40 in taxes (at 4.000%)
  The gas portion of my bill = $88.41
• Electricity Service: 310 KWH used
     $12.20 basic service charge
     17.2778¢ for the first 266.7 KWH (totalling $46.08)
     16.8360¢ for the next 43.3 KWH (totalling $7.29)
     adjustment factor (still not sure what this is) of -1.3677¢ (giving me a $4.24 credit)
     $2.45 in taxes (at 4.000%)
  The electricity portion of my bill = $63.78

The Consumerist:

• Don’t Get Bilked By IDT Energy
• Con Ed: Now With Twice The Bill!
• IDT Energy Snookering Queens Residents After Blackouts (Queens Tribute source)

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