By Matt Souvannasing
December 12, 2019
Does your utility bill have a supplier name listed next to the energy charge?
If so, you likely fall into one of 3 scenarios:
- You knowingly signed a contract with a third-party supplier and chose Utility Consolidated Billing (UCB) as your billing format (or it’s the supplier’s default format).
- Your contract term expired, and you did not sign another contract. Based on the renewal language in your initial contract, you are still being serviced by the supplier on a month-to-month basis with the UCB billing format.
- You may be part of a municipal aggregation program, in which your city or county has negotiated a rate with the supplier for your business (automatically set up on UCB).
- This situation is not as likely. Depending on the rules of your local aggregation program, you might not be contractually obligated to the program and can secure your own supply option.
What is UCB?
Utility Consolidated Billing (UCB) is a billing format in which all energy charges — supply, market, delivery/utility, and taxes — are included on one bill from your local utility.
The supply charge is one of the line items listed on your invoice. When you pay your bill, the utility remits payment to the supplier for the supply (energy) portion of your bill.
UCB is common in states that don’t offer single supplier billing.
I didn’t sign a contract, and I’m not in an aggregation. What’s going on?
It’s possible that you’ve been slammed. Slamming is when someone else signed or authorized the execution of a supply agreement on your behalf without your knowledge or approval.
Slamming is more common in the residential or small commercial space. But it’s a good idea to review your bill regularly to confirm your current supply partner and contracted rate are correctly stated on your utility bill.
Who should I contact with questions?
If you’re not sure why a supplier is listed on your utility bill, one of the quickest ways to get answers is to reach out to that supplier and ask for a copy of your current contract.
If you have further questions, feel free to contact us.
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About the Author
Matt is an Energy Advisor specializing in retail and energy aggregation programs. He is passionate about helping first-time energy buyers understand the deregulated market and find the best solutions for their business. In his free time, Matt enjoys cooking and photography.
Matt can be reached at (630) 225-4557 or msouvannasing@naniaenergy.com.
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