You may be considering APG&E, but you can compare here to make sure you are choosing the best energy service available in the market for you.
APG&E (Affiliated Power Gas & Electric) has been serving the energy needs of businesses and residential customers since 2004. Founded by a group of experienced energy executives, APG&E has the goal of providing affordable energy solutions to customers in deregulated markets.
APG&E has been a trusted partner of 5 Digital Energy for several years. Their business practices in transparency and customer service highlight why we choose to represent them to our commercial clients.
Here are some different types of plans for APG&E:
- Fixed-Rate Plans: Our recommendation for small and medium businesses is the APG&E fixed rate plan that is listed on our site. These plans offer budget certainty with the same competitive rate throughout the duration of the contract.
- Index based Plans: For larger clients, APG&E offers energy plans that follow either the Real Time or Day-Ahead market. The rates for these types of contracts vary from month to month parallel with the spot market value of electricity. 5 Digital Energy will help the end user navigate the managed product.
Depending on the size, energy usage, and specific needs of your business, your 5 Digital Energy advisor may suggest different types of plans that will impact both your electricity bill and your sustainability goals.
Make sure to avoid falling off of the contract without putting a renewal agreement into place. Electric meters that are not renewed roll into a pricey month-to-month hold-over rate. These energy bills are most painful during hot Texas summers or other months of high electricity demand. If you partner with 5 Digital Energy, we will be reaching out to you well in advance of your contract expiration to make sure that you’re taken care of.
- Fixed-Rate Plans: Direct Energy offers fixed-rate plans for residential customers that provide stability and budget predictability on their electricity bill. With a fixed rate, customers know exactly what they will pay for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity used, with the price locked in for the term of the plan.
- Variable-Rate Plans: Direct Energy also offers variable-rate plans that allow customers to take advantage of market changes. The price per kWh can change from month to month based on market conditions, which can result in savings if market prices fall. However, customers can also expect higher prices during periods of peak electricity demand. You may see these plans advertised as “Free Electricity†on nights and weekends.
- Green Energy Plans: Direct Energy offers green energy plans that allow customers to support renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power.
- PrePaid Plans: Direct Energy provides prepaid plans, which allow customers to pay for their electricity usage in advance. This type of plan is a good option for those who want to avoid deposits and credit checks.
- Bundle Plans: Direct Energy offers bundle plans that allow customers to combine their electricity and natural gas services into one bill.
Cancellation or early termination fees for a APG&E agreement are relatively flexible compared to other retail electricity providers. APG&E will allow the end user out of the agreement with no early termination fee in the event they sell or go out of business. Provided the company gives 30 days written notice and can supply proof of sale/closure, this is attractive insurance for a lot of small businesses. There are a few other options to get out of the agreement as well.
APG&E will sometimes allow the contracted party to assign the agreement to a new legal entity. Once the assignment is complete, the Assignee assumes all legal responsibility of the supply agreement. Alternatively, the customer may also substitute the service address/meter that receives the electricity. Provided the new location is in the same utility and requires similar usage, APG&E can substitute one meter out for another on the contract with no penalty.
For customers who do not fall into one of the above categories, an early termination penalty will be assessed for those who cancel the agreement before the contract term completes. That fee is calculated based on the estimated annual usage of the dropped meters as well as how many months remain in the agreement. For details, read Section 20 of the APG&E terms and conditions.
5 Digital Energy proudly partners with APG&E as a retail electric partner because they prioritize transparency and customer service. Unlike some electricity suppliers that you will find outside of 5 Digital Energy, APG&E is upfront about their rates and fees and strives to provide customers with clear and accurate information about their energy usage and cost.
There are hundreds of other retail electric providers that 5 Digital Energy does not endorse or recommend. 5 Digital Energy has a strenuous vetting process with energy providers so that you can feel confident with your selection. Here are the main criteria we require out of the energy providers we partner with:
Our main priority as energy advisors is to make sure that our clients are well taken care of. This means that we expect energy companies to bring real value to the businesses that trust us with their energy. Highly marketed electricity plans don’t always mean high quality electricity plans. Sometimes the best rate for your home or business is not actually the cheapest rate. We are only interested in working with suppliers with transparent and reputable business practices.
Between COVID, massive winter storms in Texas and uncertain economic strength in the last few years, many electric companies were forced to close their doors. If a supplier unexpectedly goes out of business, their clients run the risk of dropping to costly month-to-month or variable rate plans. Financial strength is an important consideration when we evaluate potential supplier partnerships. We want our clients to feel confident with their choice of energy companies.
5 Digital Energy maintains healthy relationships with our commercial partners, which means we often know, and communicate with our clients, any important changes with these retail electric providers.
For small business and residential clients, 5 Digital Energy almost always recommends a fixed-rate plan. However, as clients exceed electricity spend of $100,000 or so per year, different types of energy products may make more sense. These products include Index-based rates, load following blocks, Retail Renewable Contracts for green & clean energy or natural gas heat rates. For deregulated states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Maryland or New Jersey, that may mean only fixing the energy portion of your supply costs. For those in Texas, it could mean buying your electricity from the Hub and not the Load Zone. Each client has different budget standards and sustainability goals, so 5 Digital Energy only partners with electricity providers who can deliver the kinds of energy products that our clients need.
You can look up customer reviews on almost anything these days, and you’ll likely find many angry people! Suppliers are often rated publicly only when a customer has a bad experience, so it’s sometimes hard to get a real sense of their customer service. After 10+ years of experience with these energy companies, we only partner with those who we feel deserve you as a client. Many of the electricity providers we work with have award winning customer service. And don’t forget, you always have us! The advisors at 5 Digital Energy are always here to help make sure our clients are taken care of.
The devil is in the details and that can certainly be the case in electricity supply agreements. Before you sign a contract with an kWh rate that is substantially lower than the competition, make sure you understand all of the energy charges associated with that plan or other contract terms like cancellation fees or early termination fees. 5 Digital Energy has done enough business with the suppliers we represent to feel confident that the Contract Terms they present are fair and equitable to both new customers and current ones. However, that should not stop you from asking questions when you have them! 5 Digital Energy is always here to help.
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