Frequently
asked questions.

Several factors can affect your electricity or natural gas bill, even when your contracted energy rate has not changed. These include increased consumption, longer billing periods, unusually hot or cold weather, changes in transmission and distribution charges, and adjustments or corrections to previous bills.

For businesses, electricity demand charges can also be significant, particularly when equipment creates high periods of power consumption.

Review your billing dates, energy usage, contracted rate, and delivery charges. If something doesn't look right, Wholesale Energy can help you identify which portion of the bill has changed.

Planning ahead is one of the best ways to manage your business's electricity and natural gas costs.

Depending on the supplier, commercial agreements can sometimes be renewed up to two years before expiration, while other suppliers only allow renewals within the final 12 months.

Spring and fall are often good times to review energy agreements because seasonal demand is typically lower. However, forward-market conditions vary, so these seasons do not guarantee the lowest prices.

For most businesses, 3–6 months before contract expiration is a common renewal window. Wholesale Energy can help track your expiry date, compare programs, and evaluate renewal opportunities.

Effective January 1, 2025, Alberta replaced the Regulated Rate Option (RRO) with the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR) for eligible electricity customers. The initial RoLR rates apply from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026, with subsequent rates subject to the applicable regulatory arrangements.

The RoLR generally serves eligible residential, farm, and small business electricity customers who have not chosen a competitive retailer. It does not apply to natural gas: default natural gas service is governed separately under applicable Default Rate Tariffs, which typically change monthly.

The RoLR is an electricity rate arrangement, not the name of the utility company. Direct Energy Regulated Services, for example, is a company name. Wholesale Energy can help eligible businesses compare available competitive programs with their default arrangements.

Provide Wholesale Energy with a recent electricity or natural gas invoice so we can review your locations, current pricing, and energy requirements.

We'll discuss your business needs, review available programs, and explain the options. Once you select a program and complete the required agreement, we'll help coordinate enrollment with the appropriate provider.

Commercial energy agreements vary in pricing, term, flexibility, and market exposure. Wholesale Energy helps businesses understand the differences, review available options, and select programs suited to their operations.

Our role is to simplify the process, provide market guidance, and assist with ongoing contract management.

Wholesale Energy's standard advisory services are generally compensated through referral fees or other arrangements with participating energy suppliers.

There is typically no separate consulting invoice for standard procurement services. Supplier compensation may be reflected in offered pricing or commercial terms. Your advisor can explain the applicable arrangement and any additional charges before you enter an agreement.

After your energy agreement is accepted and enrollment is completed, service will be scheduled to begin under the agreed terms.

Your Wholesale Energy advisor remains available to assist with contract questions, billing concerns, account changes, and renewal planning as your agreement approaches expiry.

A fixed-rate program provides a predetermined energy supply price for the contracted period. This improves rate predictability, although total bills still vary with consumption and other charges.

A variable or index-based program follows an applicable market pricing formula, often with an additional transaction fee or other agreed component. Costs can rise or fall with the market.

Wholesale Energy can help you compare the structures and their risks based on your usage, budget, and objectives.

In Alberta's competitive retail market, eligible businesses can choose among participating electricity and natural gas retailers.

Available suppliers and programs depend on location, consumption, account requirements, and service type. Wholesale Energy can help compare available options.

The federal fuel charge, commonly called the consumer carbon tax, previously applied to natural gas and other fuels in Alberta.

The federal government stopped applying this fuel charge effective April 1, 2025. It does not apply to fuel supplied after March 31, 2025, although adjustments for earlier periods may appear on historical bills.

Industrial carbon-pricing requirements are separate and should not be confused with the former consumer fuel charge.

Energy bills include the commodity you consume and the infrastructure needed to deliver it. Transmission and distribution charges help cover power lines, pipelines, equipment, maintenance, and system upgrades.

Depending on your location, usage, and rate classification, delivery charges may exceed the commodity charge. These charges are generally regulated and separate from competitive supply pricing.

Different utilities maintain different networks. Geography, customer density, infrastructure requirements, and rural versus urban service costs influence their expenses.

The Alberta Utilities Commission regulates applicable delivery tariffs. Changing energy retailers generally does not change your location's assigned distributor.

A competitive retailer offers electricity or natural gas under its own pricing plans and contractual terms. An eligible business that does not choose a competitive retailer may receive service through an applicable default provider.

For electricity, Alberta introduced the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR) in January 2025, replacing the former Regulated Rate Option (RRO). Default natural gas service is governed under separate rate arrangements, often called the Default Rate Tariff (DRT). Eligibility differs by service type and customer classification.

Competitive retailers offer programs with specified contract terms and pricing structures, including fixed or variable rates.

Default energy services follow applicable regulated arrangements and eligibility rules. In Alberta, the Rate of Last Resort applies to eligible default electricity customers, while natural gas default rates follow a separate tariff structure.

Compare the supply rate, term, fees, usage requirements, and renewal provisions rather than looking only at the headline rate.

An energy retailer sells electricity or natural gas to customers under a retail arrangement. The terms supplier and retailer are sometimes used interchangeably, although exact roles depend on the market.

An energy distributor operates the infrastructure delivering electricity or natural gas to your location and responds to distribution-related emergencies or outages.

Wholesale Energy provides energy advisory and procurement assistance and helps businesses evaluate programs offered by participating suppliers.

Wholesale Energy provides commercial energy advisory and procurement services, helping businesses evaluate electricity and natural gas programs from participating suppliers.

We assist with comparing options, reviewing agreements, and ongoing account support. Your final supply agreement identifies the company responsible for providing the contracted energy service.

A Site ID is a unique identifier assigned to an electricity or natural gas service point in Alberta. It identifies the service location regardless of which retailer supplies the energy.

Electricity and natural gas services at the same property normally have separate Site IDs. Your Site ID can usually be found on your utility invoice or through a site lookup service. Wholesale Energy can help you locate it.

Check your billing dates, usage, contracted supply rate, delivery charges, and adjustments. If you suspect an error, contact the retailer listed on your bill.

You can also contact Wholesale Energy for help reviewing the invoice and coordinating with the appropriate provider.

Your invoice identifies the company responsible for billing and the accepted payment methods. Depending on the agreement, payments are generally made to the retailer or billing provider rather than Wholesale Energy.

Check the invoice for payment instructions, due dates, and account options.

Contact Wholesale Energy as early as possible before a relocation, business sale, or closure. Your current agreement may include provisions about termination, transfer, or service-location changes.

We'll help review the applicable agreement and coordinate next steps with the energy provider.

Your Wholesale Energy advisor can help explain your contract, review available energy programs, plan renewals, and address questions about your energy account.

We can also help direct billing or operational concerns to the appropriate retailer or utility.

Yes. Contact your Wholesale Energy advisor by phone or email for help with your energy program. For general inquiries, you can also submit a request through our Customer Support page: /2027-customer-support#needhelp.

Your Electric Service Identifier (ESI ID), often pronounced Easy ID, is the unique number assigned to an electricity service point in Texas. It identifies the location rather than the business occupying it.

Your ESI ID helps retail providers find your meter, identify the local transmission and distribution utility, and arrange service. It is generally listed on your electricity bill or available through your provider or a Texas ESI ID lookup service.

Your business generally needs an agreement with a Retail Electric Provider (REP) and a completed move-in request. The REP coordinates enrollment, while the local transmission and distribution utility handles the physical connection.

Some properties require inspections, permits, or municipal approval before service can be energized. Wholesale Energy can help coordinate enrollment and identify the information needed.

A Switch changes the retail electricity provider for an already-served location, generally without physically disconnecting power.

A Move-In establishes service for a customer at a location where service must be activated or transferred into the customer's name. Scheduling, approvals, and processing requirements can differ, so selecting the correct enrollment type matters.

Timing depends on the property, local utility, meter status, and any outstanding inspections or approvals. An existing meter may be connected relatively quickly after the enrollment is accepted, but new construction or sites requiring approval can take longer.

Contact Wholesale Energy before your planned occupancy date to coordinate the enrollment and utility requirements.

Most businesses should review their electricity agreement about 3–6 months before expiration. Depending on the supplier, future pricing may be available much earlier, potentially up to two years in advance.

Spring and fall may offer useful opportunities to review offers, but lower seasonal demand does not guarantee lower forward electricity prices. Wholesale Energy can help track your renewal date and compare terms before your current agreement expires.

Depending on the supplier and your business's energy requirements, commercial electricity agreements in Texas may be available for terms of up to 10 years.

Longer-term contracts can provide price predictability and help manage exposure to market fluctuations, but they are not necessarily cheaper. Pricing depends on market conditions, usage, contract structure, and timing. Wholesale Energy can help you compare shorter and longer terms.

Electricity service does not necessarily stop when your fixed-price contract expires. Depending on the retail provider, customer classification, and contract, the account may continue on default renewal or month-to-month pricing that differs from your previous rate.

Texas rules provide certain expiration notices and default renewal protections for qualifying small commercial customers; larger agreements may have different terms. Review your contract before expiration to avoid unexpected pricing.

Commercial electricity prices reflect usage, peak demand, operating hours, load characteristics, and contractual requirements.

Some commercial offers separate supply from transmission and distribution charges; others include additional components in the quoted rate. Confirm exactly which charges are included before comparing plans.

An Electricity Facts Label (EFL) is a standardized disclosure describing key features of an electricity product, including pricing, contract terms, and certain fees.

Texas requires applicable disclosures for residential and qualifying small commercial customers. Larger commercial customers may receive customized agreements with different documentation requirements. Ask your provider or Wholesale Energy advisor to explain the full pricing structure.

Suppliers can evaluate a business's historical usage, peak demand, operating hours, service locations, and proposed term to prepare tailored offers.

Wholesale Energy may request authorization to obtain consumption history, allowing participating suppliers to prepare more accurate bids. We'll help compare the offers and explain the differences.

Electricity prices change with fuel costs, generation availability, weather, demand, transmission conditions, and other market factors.

If your prior contract was signed years ago, market conditions may now be very different. Contract length, load characteristics, and the timing of your request can also affect pricing. Wholesale Energy can help compare available terms.

Higher bills can result from increased usage, changed operating hours, extreme weather, higher peak demand, different billing periods, and adjustments to utility delivery charges.

Demand-based charges can change substantially even when total consumption is similar. Compare the billing dates, usage, demand measurements, and rate components with previous invoices. Wholesale Energy can help identify the causes.

Provide Wholesale Energy with a recent electricity invoice, your business details, and your service locations. We'll review current arrangements, discuss your requirements, and compare available programs.

Once you've selected an option and completed the agreement, we'll assist with enrollment through the appropriate retail provider.

Commercial electricity contracts vary in price structure, length, usage requirements, and market exposure. Wholesale Energy helps businesses evaluate those differences and select programs suited to their operations.

Our role is to simplify procurement, provide energy market guidance, and assist with ongoing contract management.

Wholesale Energy's standard commercial advisory services are generally compensated through referral fees or other arrangements with participating energy suppliers.

There is typically no separate consulting invoice for standard services, although supplier compensation may be reflected in pricing or commercial terms. Your advisor can explain any applicable arrangements or extra charges before signing.

After acceptance, the Retail Electric Provider coordinates enrollment or service transfer under the agreed schedule.

Your Wholesale Energy advisor remains available for contract questions, billing concerns, account changes, and renewal planning. For new premises, confirm that any required utility connection arrangements are complete.

A fixed-rate program provides a predetermined supply price for the contracted period, subject to agreement terms. Your total bill can still change with usage, utility charges, and permitted adjustments.

A variable or index-based program follows an agreed market-pricing formula, with costs that may rise or fall. The appropriate choice depends on usage, budget, risk tolerance, and business goals.

In deregulated areas of Texas, businesses generally choose from participating Retail Electric Providers (REPs). Some municipal utilities and electric cooperatives operate outside the competitive retail market, so choice can be limited there.

Businesses in competitive service areas generally choose a retailer rather than using an ordinary regulated retail rate. Texas maintains a separate Provider of Last Resort (POLR) program as a temporary safety net. Wholesale Energy can help identify your available options.

Delivery charges support maintaining, operating, and improving electricity infrastructure. Costs differ according to service territory, customer class, network characteristics, and approved utility tariffs.

Utilities such as Oncor, CenterPoint Energy, and AEP Texas serve different territories. Changing your Retail Electric Provider generally does not change the utility serving your location.

A Retail Electric Provider (REP) sells electricity in participating competitive markets. A Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU or TDSP) operates the lines and equipment delivering electricity and generally handles distribution outages and meter connections.

Wholesale Energy is a commercial energy advisor that helps businesses evaluate programs offered by participating REPs.

Wholesale Energy provides commercial energy advisory and procurement services rather than acting as the Retail Electric Provider under your electricity supply agreement.

We help businesses compare participating suppliers, review contract terms, and select suitable programs. Your signed agreement identifies the REP responsible for service.

Review the billing period, consumption, demand charges, supply rate, delivery charges, and adjustments. If you suspect an error, contact the Retail Electric Provider on your bill.

Wholesale Energy can also help review the invoice and coordinate with the appropriate provider.

Your invoice identifies the billing company, accepted payment methods, and due date. Payments are generally made directly to the Retail Electric Provider or applicable billing company. Refer to your invoice for instructions.

Contact Wholesale Energy as early as possible before a relocation, business sale, or closure. Your electricity contract may include early termination, account transfer, ownership-change, or new-site provisions.

We'll help review the agreement and coordinate next steps with your Retail Electric Provider.

Your Wholesale Energy advisor assists with contract questions, renewal planning, account changes, and reviewing electricity programs. We can help coordinate billing issues with your REP and direct delivery matters to the appropriate utility.

Our goal is ongoing support throughout your agreement, not only during enrollment.

Yes. You can reach your Wholesale Energy advisor by phone or email. For general inquiries or account assistance, submit a request through our Customer Support page: /2027-customer-support#needhelp.