Customers like you can purchase energy from an Energy Services Company (ESCO) or from a traditional utility. If you choose to purchase energy from an ESCO, you're entitled to a few things:

• A clear description of the services offered by the ESCO.
• Receive energy delivery and 24-hour emergency services from your utility company.
• Clear procedures for switching energy suppliers, including information about the enrollment process.
• Disclosure, in simple and clear language, of the terms and conditions of the agreement between you and the ESCO, including:
  • Price and all variable charges or fees;
  • Length of the agreement;
  • Terms for renewal of the agreement;
  • Cancellation process and any early termination fees, which are limited by law; and
  • Conditions, if any, under which the ESCO guarantees cost savings.
• Rescind an agreement with an ESCO within 3 days of receiving the agreement, if you are a residential customer.
• A description of how pre-payment agreements work, if offered.
• Notice from the ESCO, no less than 30 days prior to the contract renewal date, of the renewal terms and the options you have as a customer.
• A fair and timely complaint resolution process.
• Provision of any written documents (contracts, marketing materials, and this ESCO Consumer Bill of Rights), in the same language used to enroll you as a customer.

If you're a residential customer, you're also entitled to the rights and protections of the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA). It requires that all utility customers be treated fairly when applying for service, customer billing, and complaint procedures. The New York State Department of Public Service has full details here. 

ESCOs that do not assure these consumer rights could lose their eligibility to provide service in New York. Please report any complaints to the Department of Public Service at 1-800-342-3377 (8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.), by mail at Office of Consumer Services, NYS Department of Public Service, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223, or online at dps.ny.gov.

Click here to find more information about your energy alternatives.