THE CHANGE OF AN ELECTRIC ENERGY SELLER
All the consumers of electric energy have the right to freely choose their electric energy seller. The right applies to consumers from the enterprise sector, institutions and individual customers – irrespective of their level of energy consumption. All that needs to be done is to find a partner on the electric energy market that will offer a lower price than the competition and more advantageous conditions of the sale agreement. The change of an electric energy seller is one of the efficient methods of reducing the expenditures related with energy and of rationalising the budget
The purchase of electric energy requires securing two elements – the product, i.e. the socalled active electric energy and the distribution service, i.e. the supply of electric energy (transmission). Responsibility for the supply of electric energy is with the Distribution System Operators - the energy enterprises that operate the power network in the given area. You can buy the product from any company dealing with the sale of electric energy to end consumers which has signed an agreement with the local distributor
The roles of the seller and the distributor may be performed by the same energy company. It is also the case when the consumer has not changed the energy seller so far and is bound by a comprehensive agreement with the local operator of the power network. It is a convenient solution because it not only ensures the supply of energy on the basis of one agreement, but also it does not require the risk related with the participation in the free energy market (forecasting and planning the energy consumption). However, convenience does not always come hand in hand with the economic calculation. The energy sale offer presented by the energy enterprise being the local distribution network operator does not have to be the most advantageous one in terms of the price for the energy supplied
Since the 1st of July 2007, energy consumers have had the freedom to choose their electric energy seller (the TPA principle). Moreover, the energy law protects consumers against the risk of supply interruption in the event of non-fulfilment of the agreement by the seller. The responsibility for this is borne by the distribution system operators who have to ensure the continuity and quality of supply, in accordance with the rates approved by the Energy Regulatory Office. Therefore, more than 20 thousand consumers decided to change their seller by August 2011 (data from the Energy Regulatory Office)
The process of changing an electric energy seller consists of several stages:
The choice of a seller, the signing of an agreement for the sale of electric energy
Choose the seller that offers energy at the tariff rates which are best suited to your own needs. In the case of institutions, the choice of the seller is usually performed by a tendering procedure.
It is worthwhile ensuring that the decision about the seller change is preceded by an energy audit, or balance, which will let you determine your energy needs and the structure of the daily and monthly electric energy consumption. It is also helpful in estimating the related investment, such as the costs of replacing the metering and billing systems. As one of the energy sellers, FITEN SA helps to perform such an audit. For our Customers, we prepare quotes that are best suited to the audit’s results.
If the proposed offer for the sale of electric energy is accepted and approved, you sign the agreement for the sale of electric energy with the chosen seller. The new sale agreement should become effective on the expiry date of the previous one.
Termination of the current agreement
If you have not changed your electric energy seller yet and you have the so-called comprehensive agreement (the agreement for the sale and distribution of electric energy), you should separate the comprehensive agreement. Upon termination of the comprehensive agreement, you are obliged, as the ultimate consumer, to sign an agreement for the provision of distribution services (a distribution agreement) with the Distribution System Operator or with the Industrial Energy Company [Przedsiębiorstwo Energetyki Przemysłowej] (in the case of connection to the network of the Industrial Energy Company).
The agreement for the provision of distribution services should become effective on the expiry date of the comprehensive agreement in order to ensure the continuity in the electric energy supply. The agreement with the energy distributor may be concluded for an indefinite period, which ensures that you avoid repeating the entire procedure with every single change of a seller. In the event that the separation of the comprehensive agreement has been performed earlier, you only terminate the current agreement for the sale of electric energy and sign a new agreement with the chosen seller.
Reporting the change of a seller to the Distribution System Operator
At this stage of the process, you have to notify the conclusion of the new sale agreement to the Distribution System Operator, i.e. the energy service provider. This can be done either by you personally or by the seller you signed an agreement with..
If you become the customer of FITEN SA, we shall notify – on your behalf – the conclusion of the new agreement to the Distribution System Operator, according to the power of attorney granted by you and with the observance of all the procedures and time limits arising from the Distribution Network Operation Guide.
Adjustment of metering and billing systems
Depending on the energy consumption, the change of a seller may be related with the necessity to adjust the metering and billing systems to the requirements set out in the Distribution Network Operation Guide, i.e. the installation of a meter with data registration and transmission. The owner of the meter is obliged to adjust those systems at his own expense. In the event of business and corporate customers, the customer is, in most cases, the owner of the system.
If your energy consumption requires the adjustment of the metering and billing systems, upon signing the agreement for the sale of electric energy with FITEN SA, we shall help you find the provider of this service from among the companies which we have signed relevant agreements with.
Customers connected to the C1x, C2x low voltage networks are not obliged to adjust their metering and billing systems.
Settlement with the previous electric energy seller
The last stage of changing an electric energy seller is the settlement with the previous seller on the basis of the indications on the meters. It is performed as of the effective date of the new sale agreement. The reading of the metering and billing system is performed by the local Distribution System Operator on the day on which the new sale agreement enters into force, within 5 days of that day at the latest. These data are provided to the previous and the new seller not later than by the fifth day of the following month. This will constitute the basis for the current seller to issue the final invoice to you.
CONTACT FORM
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