In some areas you can receive electricity and gas from the same company. These are utilities that are overseen by the PUC or the Public Utilities Commission.

This is to ensure that you get the best efficiency based service, as well as proper rates that are decided by rate making. Rate making is the way that the Public Utility Commission works with both consumers and companies to make sure that that the rates are not higher than they should be. This is a safeguard for you, the consumer.

Electricity and gas are two utilities that most people need in their home. Nearly everyone relies on power of some sort, and about one fifth of the country depends on natural gas. Both are governed by federal and state laws.

However, in some areas, both of these two utilities are independently owned and operated. It depends on whether or not you reside in an area of the country where the utilities have been deregulated.

When deregulation takes place, you are then allowed to choose who provides your electricity and gas among a host of various suppliers. These lists are available from many places including the Public Utilities Commission. You can access these lists online, by telephone or by standard mail.

Electricity and gas both include items on your bill that are not related to the energy source itself. There are many other things that go into running these facilities.

There are delivery lines, pipes, poles, employee payroll, technicians, vehicles and other equipment that must be maintained in order to keep the power on at your home, office, business, factory, company or community. Therefore you will see charges appear on your bill that reflect this.

If you call your particular power company, they can further explain what each of the items on your bill is, and why they are necessary. Power utilities are important in everyone’s daily lives, especially if you operate a business, company or factory.

However, no home would be functional without them either. You need one or the other or both energy sources to operate appliances, lighting, heating, cooling, computers, televisions and just about everything else you can imagine inside of your home. While it’s true that people survived before there were power sources, what would life today be like without them?

It’s good to know that in this economy that you can rely on fixed rates from your utility company to make the budget stretch a little farther. This is a good feeling in these tough economic times.

A fixed rate is a guarantee from your utility company that you will receive the same rate for as long as the contract dictates. This makes it extremely easy to budget because there are no surprises month after month.

Of course if you would prefer to just pay the bill that you owe, then you can opt for a variable rate. This means that you are charged for your usage each month and your bill will fluctuate. Some electricity and gas utilities also offer special plans for senior citizens and people that have an income below the federal poverty level.

For additional information on electricity and gas as well as how to switch electricity companies or finding a local
power company visit us online.

Please visit us at http://www.mxenergy.com/ for all your energy needs.

Author Bio: For additional information on electricity and gas as well as how to switch electricity companies or finding a local
power company visit us online.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: electricity and gas, natural gas rates, power company, electricity, deregulation, energy for homes