Alternative Gas Suppliers Often a Gamble: Watchdog

Alternative Gas Suppliers are “money losers,” according to watchdog agency

It often begins with a knock at the door, from a salesperson pitching natural gas service from one of the dozen unregulated suppliers that compete with the Illinois regulated utilities. They say they offer low prices and big savings.

But according to a new analysis by the Citizens Utility Board, shopping for savings from a gas supplier is a gamble that you are most likely to lose.

After tracking more than 9,000 plans offered by unregulated gas suppliers since 2003, CUB says 94% of them lost money compared to plans offered by regulated utilities.

“CUB’s findings are startling,” CUB director of communications Jim Chilsen said. “The gas market monitor shows that nine of ten offers marketed by unregulated gas suppliers since 2003 have been money losers.”

The watchdog agency's gas market monitor is a free online service that has tracked offers since 2003.

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