Glossary
Basic Services:
Services necessary for the physical delivery of service, including generation, transmission and distribution. The monthly customer charge and the temporary transition charge are also basic service charges.
Customer Charge:
Part of the monthly basic distribution charge to partially cover costs for billing, meter reading, equipment, service line maintenance and equipment. This charge is the same no matter how much electricity you use.
Consumer’s Dictionary for Electrical Competition:
Please Click Here for the official Dictionary of terms used in the competitive electricity market.
Deregulation:
Removal or relaxation of regulations or controls governing a business or service operation such as utilities.
Distribution:
The local wires, transformers, substations and other equipment used to deliver electricity to end-use consumers from the high-voltage transmission lines.
Distribution Charges:
Part of the basic service charges on every customer’s bill for delivering electricity from the electric distribution company to your home or business. The distribution charge is regulated by the Board of Public Utilities. This charge will vary according to how much electricity you use.
Early Cancellation Fee (ECF):
The fee Stream charges when a customer on a Fixed Plan terminates service prior to the end of their contract. This ECF is stated in the Terms & Conditions Statement. When Stream offers a Fixed Plan, a “strip” of electricity is purchased at a wholesale rate to support the retail price charged to the Customer. When a customer terminates their Fixed Plan Agreement with Stream early, Stream is still liable to purchase their electricity at that rate, and, therefore, charges an ECF to offset this liability.
Energy Choice:
This is the approved program which supports the customers choice of Electric Generation Suppliers (EGS) in both the residential and commercial/industrial sectors. Presently Stream will only be allowing IAs to market in the Residential portion of the Energy Choice program.
Electric Distribution Company (EDC):
This is the company that owns the power lines and equipment necessary to deliver purchased electricity to the customer. We will be initially marketing in the PSE&G and Atlantic City Electric service territory. All of the New Jersey Utilities are listed below:
Electric Generation Supplier (EGS):
The licensed competing retail electric provider (ex: Stream Energy) in the Electric Choice Program.
Fixed Price:
A price which remains the same, usually for a set time period. (In Stream Energy’s Fixed Plan Contract the price is a fixed price for a set period of time.)
Generation:
The production of electricity. In New Jersey, electricity is produced by a number of methods including natural gas, coal, nuclear power, wind, water and solar energy. The generation of electricity is deregulated.
Generation Charge:
Part of the basic service charges on every customer’s bill for producing electricity. Generation service is competitively priced and is not regulated by the Board of Public Utilities. This charge depends on the contract between the customer and the supplier.
Grid:
A network for the transmission of electricity throughout the state, region or nation. The term is also used to refer the layout of an electric distribution system. (See PJM)
Intangible Transition Charge:
Charges to utility customers to pay for special bonds that are used to refinance utility debt, thereby lowering overall costs for the utility and its customers.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh):
The basic unit of electric energy for which most customers are charged in cents per kilowatt-hour. A unit of energy equal to one kilowatt (kW) of power expended for one hour of time. The amount of electricity used each billing period is expressed in terms of a kilowatt-hour and is noted on your bill.
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU):
It is the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities that regulates electric, natural gas, telephone, privately-owned water/sewage companies and some transportation services. The NJ BPU regulates both residential and commercial services.
New Jersey Service Area Map:
Price to Compare (PTC):
Kilowatt-hour amount a consumer uses to compare prices and potential savings among generation suppliers.
Provider of Last Resort (POLR):
The company providing generation services to those who do not choose another supplier, are unable to find a supplier willing to serve them or for some reason no longer receive generation services from another supplier.
PJM:
Pennsylvania – New Jersey – Maryland (PJM) Interconnection Independent Service Operator (ISO) – New Jersey is part of the PJM electric “Grid”. PJM is interconnected to other ISOs and is bordered on three sides by NY ISO [to the North], Midwest ISO [to the West], and SE Reliability Council (SERC) [to the South].
Quality Confirmation (QC) Call:
A required call that all customers must complete to request service with Stream Energy. It is critical that IAs inform their customers that the Quality Confirmation Call must be made as soon as possible to complete enrollment. This QC Call must be made only by the customer. If the customer has not called the QC number within 24 hours, a series of calls and emails from Stream Energy will automatically ensue over the next few days to make certain the customer completes their enrollment. The customer’s completed request for service will be submitted to the Utility 24 hours after the QC Call is completed.
In the New Jersey market, the customer customer will not have a credit check. For the customer’s protection against slamming, they will be required to provide their last four digits of their Social Security number, along with other identifying information.
Renewables (Green Power):
Resources used to generate electricity that are capable of being replaced naturally. This includes fuels and technologies such as solar photovoltaic energy, solar thermal energy, wind power, low head hydro power, geothermal energy, landfill and mine based methane gas, energy from waste and sustainable biomass energy.
Slamming:
Switching electric service without a customer’s approval. This practice is illegal and penalties are enforced by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Ignite has a zero tolerance policy towards slamming and is a terminable offense (see your Policies and Procedures Manual in your Power Center).
Terms & Conditions Statement:
A contract between an Electric Generation Supplier and a customer that outlines the terms and conditions of service (i.e., length of term, fees, etc.) and other important information. Electric Generation Suppliers must provide this terms and conditions statement to all customers at time of enrollment. To assure receipt of this, Stream Energy sends this to the customer at the completion of the Quality Confirmation Call.
Transmission Charges:
Part of the basic service charges on every customer’s bill for transporting electricity from the source of supply to the electric distribution company. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulates retail transmission prices and services. This charge will vary with your source of supply.
Variable Price:
A price which can change by the hour, day, month etc. Stream’s Variable Plan(s) usually readjusts on a monthly basis in response to the energy market.
Weatherization:
Modifying a home or building to conserve energy. Methods include: sealing window and doorframes with caulking or gaskets, installing storm doors and windows, and adding or increasing the insulation.
