A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us; we are dependent on him. He is not an interruption to our work; he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business; he is a part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

Mahatma Ghandi

Electricity

Customer Classifications

Competitive Markets

Retail Strategies

Timing

Electricity Customer Classifications

Large Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Customers

Large C&I customers are usually defined by their annual peak demand, which is different in different markets. In Texas, large C&I customers are those with greater than 50KW peak demand during the year; in Pennsylvania peak demand must be greater than 25KW. In many markets, large C&I customers are exempt from some of the market rules that apply to smaller customers and therefore receive customized and highly competitive pricing and contract offerings.

Small Commercial Customers

Small commercial customers are those with annual peak demand below the threshold defined for large C&I customers. Pricing and contract offerings from retailers for these customers are highly standardized and generally not negotiable.

Residential Customers

Residential customers are those with electricity service to residences they own or lease. In many venues, residential service is broken down into two or more size categories based on usage level for the purpose of pricing because there is a wide disparity in usage due to residence size and design. Pricing offerings from retailers are usually required by PUC’s to include all charges with the exception of meter fees and taxes. Contracts are usually standardized and non-negotiable.