Aggregation – The
voluntary grouping of electricity consumers for the purpose
of purchasing electricity. Through aggregation,
consumers may be able to secure lower prices due to the higher-volume
buying power they gain by grouping together.
Customer
Education Advisory Board (CEAB) – The CEAB
assists the Public Service Commission by pulling together
key government
agencies and community-based organizations District-wide
to advise and guide the Customer Choice Education Program
regarding the
transformation of the DC’s electric industry into a
competitive market. Member organizations of the CEAB include:
Consumer Utility
Board (CUB), District of Columbia Energy Office (DCEO), District
of Columbia Public Service Commission (DCPSC), National Association
of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), the
Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC), and Pepco. The
Public Service Commission, Pepco, and the Office of the People’s
Counsel have all initiated consumer outreach programs in
response
to the Retail
Electric Competition and Consumer Protection Act.
Consumer
Utility Board (CUB) – An independent group of
DC citizens that work to advance and protect the interests
of DC utility ratepayers and consumers. The CUB is non-partisan
and community-based. The CUB has no direct ties to the
District government, but works closely with the government
to seek and
promote consumer interests.
Customer
Choice – The right and ability of electricity
consumers (homes, businesses and government) to shop,
compare prices and choose the company that provides their
electricity,
similar to how consumers can now choose their long-distance
phone service provider.
Distribution – The
delivery of electricity to your home through a local distribution
system. Electric utility companies distribute electricity
to homes through power lines, transformers, substations and
other equipment. In the district, Pepco is the sole distributor
of electricity.
District
of Columbia Energy Office (DCEO) – Provides
energy efficient programs to residents, businesses, government,
institutions,
and transportation entities and assists low-income customers
in paying energy costs.
District
of Columbia Public Service Commission (DCPSC) – The
agency of the District of Columbia government that
is responsible for regulating electric, gas and telephone
companies operating
in the District of Columbia..
Generation – The
production of electricity at a power plant. Like any other
product you buy, electricity must be made. In the District,
electricity suppliers who produce electricity compete for your
business. You can choose who generates your electricity.
Generation
Supplier – A
company that has been licensed by the DCPSC to generate and
sell electricity in the District of Columbia.
Local
Distribution Company – The local utility company
that delivers electricity directly to consumers
through its system of poles, power lines and other equipment – in
this case, Pepco.
Office
of the People’s Counsel (OPC) – An independent
government agency that represents utility customers
in proceedings before the Public Service Commission and disputes
over natural gas, electric, and telephone services, as well
as no-fault car insurance rates.
Price
to Compare – Located
on the bottom of page two of your electric bill, the price
to compare number is the price you pay per kilowatt-hour
(kWh) of electricity. Each supplier provides the District
of Columbia Public Service Commission with its average price
per kWh, which enables you to see which supplier has the
lowest rate.
"Standard
Offer" Service – Pepco’s provision
of generation and transmission service. Customers who do
not want to switch electric suppliers or who do
not
make a choice will receive Pepco’s standard offer service. Also, when a
customer terminates a contract with a supplier for any reason and another
supplier is not chosen, or, if a supplier
fails to deliver power, Pepco’s standard offer service automatically takes
over.
Transmission – The
movement of large amounts of electricity from where it’s produced to where it's distributed. Similar to
food or clothing, electricity is made in large quantities
and must be shipped. While other consumer products travel
by rail or trucks to distribution centers, electricity travels
over high-voltage transmission lines to local distribution
systems. |
