The Alternative Electric Supplier (AES) has the option to have Detroit Edison bill on its behalf, which is referred to as complete billing, or to bill its customers directly, which is referred to as separate billing. If Detroit Edison bills on behalf of the AES, energy charges will be separated from delivery charges, so the customer can review each individual charge. If the AES chooses to bill separately from Detroit Edison, the customer will receive two separate bills (one from the AES for energy supply, and one from Detroit Edison for energy delivery).

Today customers' charges include energy supply, transmission and distribution, and are billed as one total cost under bundled or full service. Alternative Electric Suppliers may offer new products and services that may include additional charges to customers who choose to buy them.

A $5.00 fee will be charged each time a customer switches to a different energy supplier. The switch fee applies when a customer switches from Detroit Edison to an AES, from one AES to another AES, or from an AES back to Detroit Edison.

Distribution or delivery charges are based on your type of service. View the charges in the Electric Rate Book.

The Excess kVAR demand charge is a charge for any reactive demand resulting from operations below 80% power factor.

Power factor is a term that applies to the supply and delivery of electric power. It is the ratio of "working power" (current and voltage) to "apparent power" (working power plus reactive power). View the Understanding Power Factor* fact sheet.

Customers served at secondary voltages are not required to change their electric meter to participate in Electric Choice. An interval demand meter is required for primary voltage customers. Review Electric Choice Metering or Metering and Meter Reading FAQs for more information on metering in Electric Choice.

Aggregation is the combining or pooling of multiple customers' electric usage to create a large buying group that can achieve cost savings by buying electricity in bulk. Aggregated customers are more attractive to Alternative Electric Suppliers. Any one customer's electric usage pattern will likely have peaks and valleys. However, when electricity usage is spread over a number of customers, the peaks and valleys tend to offset each other, resulting in a smoother, more predictable pattern of electric consumption.

Any person, group or other entity that pools electric customers is known as an Aggregator. Electric Choice may lead civic clubs, business associations or even communities to become Aggregators.

Not at this time. The meter will still record your space conditioning use for billing purposes. The meter will remain in place in case you or the next customer decides to return to Detroit Edison Full Service and then chooses to participate in the Interruptible Space Conditioning Program (if available).

An Alternative Electric Supplier that bills separately for energy may offer a budget plan, so be sure to ask if this type of plan is available. The Detroit Edison BudgetWise^® Billing program is not available to customers who receive energy and delivery charges on one combined bill.

You can remain on the Automatic Payment Plan for your Detroit Edison delivery charges or both your energy and delivery charges if your AES elects the Complete Billing option. If your AES bills you separately for their energy charges, you will need to ask your AES if this plan is available.

Only metered loads are open to Electric Choice. Outdoor Protective Lighting accounts are not eligible for choice, since the light fixture is not metered. Under the Outdoor Protective Lighting Program, you pay Detroit Edison for the cost of the fixture, the unmetered use and $24.00 a year, if a pole is provided. If you choose a new Alternative Electric Supplier, your lighting account will be billed with your Detroit Edison delivery charges.

Detroit Edison will continue to own and operate the distribution system and will continue to be responsible for trimming trees, restoring power, and maintaining overhead and underground wires. Customers should continue to report outages or other service problems by calling 800.477.4747.

No, priority of restoration will remain the same as it is today.

In the event a customer is unable to pay the electric generation charges, the AES may terminate the customer relationship. Should this happen, the customer would automatically return to Detroit Edison Full Service subject to the Retail Access Service Rider's Section 5.3 Term, Commencement and Return to Full Service. If a customer cannot pay Detroit Edison for services rendered, the existing collection policies would then apply.