Understanding your Energy
Energy Basics
There are two main types of energy that get used the most, electricity and natural gas. These energy sources are typically subject to market fluctuations based on supply and demand.
Electricity
Electricity, unlike other commodities, can’t be easily stored. Traditional electric bills will measure your consumption using per kilowatt hour (kWh). The rate of consumption will fluctuate, meaning your bill will too.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is transported using an infrastructure of pipelines that takes the gas from drilling sites and delivers it to your location. It’s traditionally measured on utility bills per dekatherm (DTh).
How Does Energy Pricing Work?
There are many factors that drive the cost of a typical energy bill:
- Season: Energy prices tend to be higher in the summer and winter, as more heating /cooling is needed.
- Consumption: Most energy bills will charge you based on the amount of kWh you use. As that rate goes up, so does the total cost on your bill.
Your utility company had two roles in bringing energy to your location:
- Supplying the Energy: Physically having the quantities of the energy sources.
- Distributing the Energy: Routing the energy to your home to power your lights, televisions, stoves, and more.
Your utility company bills you for supplying and distributing your energy, along with any applicable taxes.
What is Deregulation?
This is where Astral Energy comes in.
With deregulation, your energy supplier and distributor can now be two separate entities. Giving you the power of choice. Astral Energy takes over the role of supplying the energy. Your local utility company will still have the role of distributing your energy.
After Deregulation
Your bill will continue to come from your utility company and will look almost exactly the same with two exceptions:
- A line item that now says that Astral Energy is your supplier of electricity or natural gas.
- Your overall bill will change based on your personalized fixed price.
Advantages of Astral Energy’s Unlimited Power Plan
Unlimited Energy, Endless Possibilities
Our Unlimited Power Plan is the first of its kind. For a flat monthly fee, we supply you with all the energy you could ever need. Stayed plugged in as much as you like, you won’t run out of power and your bill won’t go up.
One Consistent Rate for Every Month
We’re taking the guesswork out of your power bill! Astral Energy is offering residents one consistent price up front. Forget about fluctuating rates and enjoy one flat fee customized to you.
Powering Peace of Mind
Unplug from the stress that used to come from adjusting your thermostat. On our Unlimited Power Plan, you’ll never have to worry about not knowing what’s coming. Your bill will stay the same every month, no matter how much you use.
The Ultimate Family Plan
The more, the merrier. Our Unlimited Power Plan gives everyone all the energy they need. No matter the number of people in your home everyone can stay powered up. The best part, your energy bill won’t go up.
Terms to Know
Electricity
The state agency that regulates electric utilities and competitive power supply sales. (For those states that have deregulated power, the DPU may just be the distribution channel rather than both supplier and distributor.)
Opening a market whose practices and prices were previously regulated by the government to competition.
Your local electricity utility is the distribution company that delivers power to your home or business.
An entity eligible to sell electricity and/or natural gas to customers using the transmission or distribution system of a utility.
The federal agency that regulates energy transmission, sales and so on between states.
The process by which certain types of energy, including renewable sourced energy (i.e. wind, solar), fossil fuels, and/or nuclear energy is turned into electricity.
The standard unit of electricity measurement.
Any fuel that can be used to produce electricity. This includes fossil fuels (i.e. oil, coal, natural gas), nuclear, and renewable energy resources (i.e. wind, solar, hydro. etc.)
The state agency that regulates electric utilities and competitive power supply sales.
Power that is produced from “clean,” environmentally friendly power sources such as solar, wind, and hydro.
The process by which electricity is delivered from a generator to a local electric utility/distribution company over high-voltage power lines.
Gas
The reading from your gas meter.
The amount of natural gas a Natural Gas Distribution Company (NGDC) receives to deliver to a customer or group of customers, and the amount of gas that customer/ group uses.
The amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Determined by the physical limits of a gas transportation system, capacity is often divided among several parties along the interstate transportation system. Each party holds a contract for a specific quantity.
Natural gas sold either by volume or heating value.
The most common unit of measure of gas volume; One cubic foot roughly equals 1,000 BTUs. You might also see Centum Cubic Feet (Ccf) as a standard gas measurement of 100 cubic feet.
A measure of the heat content value of gas, equal to 10 terms or one million BTUs. Gas usage is determined by multiplying the Mcf used by the heat content value of the gas.
Delivery of natural gas via a local pipeline.
Federally regulated, large capacity pipelines that transport natural gas across state lines from areas that produce the gas to end-use markets.
A standard gas measurement of 1,000 cubic feet of gas.
State regulated natural gas utility that owns the gas lines and equipment that are needed to deliver natural gas to customers.
An entity that sells natural gas to customers (which is then delivered through the distribution lines of an NGDC).
The movement of natural gas through the interstate pipeline system for delivery to the distributor (NGDC).
