How to Switch Electricity Suppliers in Connecticut: A Step-by-Step Guide for Cannabis Businesses

Step 1: Confirm eligibility

Connecticut opened retail choice under Public Act 98-28, effective 2000 [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. All residential, commercial, and industrial customers of Eversource and United Illuminating may buy from a PURA-licensed electric supplier [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Municipal utility customers do not have choice [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Cannabis license type does not restrict eligibility. Account name and utility territory do.

Step 2: Pull twelve months of bills

Record rate class (Eversource Rate 30/35/56/58 or UI GS/GST/LPT), monthly kWh, peak kW, and supply line [eversource-ct-rates-2026]. The 500 kW line separates Standard Service from Last Resort Service [energizect-rate-board-business].

Step 3: Find your benchmark

Standard Service rates reset every January 1 and July 1 and are posted on the EnergizeCT Rate Board [energizect-rate-board-business]. For July through December 2026, Eversource Rate 30 Standard Service is 11.229 cents/kWh and UI Rate GS is 11.9022 cents/kWh [energizect-rate-board-business].

Accounts at 500 kW and above on Last Resort Service should use trailing twelve-month supply cost as the benchmark [energizect-rate-board-business].

Step 4: Verify PURA licensing

The PURA supplier handbook lists statutes and regulations governing licensed suppliers [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]. Confirm licensing before signing.

Step 5: Request comparable offers

Ask each supplier for identical parameters: contract term, fixed vs index vs block-and-index product, start month aligned to meter read, and whether ISO-NE capacity and transmission are bundled or passed through [ct-pura-supplier-handbook].

Compare all-in supply cents per kWh against the EnergizeCT Rate Board line for your rate class [energizect-rate-board-business]. Eversource Rate 30 flat Standard Service for July through December 2026 is 11.229 cents/kWh; Rate 27/37 time-of-day peak is 13.374 cents/kWh and off-peak 10.374 cents/kWh [energizect-rate-board-business]. UI Rate GS is 11.9022 cents/kWh; GST peak is 13.9333 cents/kWh [energizect-rate-board-business].

For Last Resort Service accounts above 500 kW, use trailing twelve-month average supply cost, not one month [energizect-rate-board-business].

Step 6: Sign and enroll

Under consolidated billing, Eversource or UI delivers power and bills supplier charges on the same statement [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Read contract terms: auto-renewal, notice windows, early termination fees, and capacity pass-through language.

The supplier submits enrollment electronically [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]. You do not cancel Standard Service separately. For buildouts, align enrollment with energization so the account does not sit on default supply unintentionally during commissioning load tests [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Step 7: Confirm the first bill

Verify the Standard Service or Last Resort Service supply line became a supplier charge at the contracted rate [energizect-rate-board-business]. Delivery demand on Eversource Rate 30 ($14.22/kW distribution over 2 kW plus $12.84/kW transmission) or Rate 56 (per-kVA charges) must be unchanged [eversource-ct-rates-2026].

Check the effective date against the contract start. Mismatch between contract date and meter read is the most common post-switch dispute.

Step 8: Calendar resets and compliance

Standard Service resets every January 1 and July 1 [energizect-rate-board-business]. Set reminders at 60 and 90 days before each reset to re-bid or extend fixed contracts. A dispensary on a 12-month supplier contract that crosses a reset still pays the contracted supply rate until expiry; a facility on default Standard Service sees the new auction price immediately [energizect-rate-board-business].

Cannabis establishments must file annual electricity usage under C.G.S. Section 21a-421m [ct-reraca-chapter-420h]. Export the same billing data used for procurement into the compliance folder [ct-reraca-chapter-420h].

Common mistakes

Mistake	Consequence
Leasing in a municipal utility town	No supplier choice for that site
Ignoring 500 kW threshold	Unexpected move to monthly LRS pricing
Comparing against wrong rate class on Rate Board	Bad benchmark for TOU accounts

Step 9: Document for RERACA reporting

C.G.S. Section 21a-421m requires annual electricity usage reports from cannabis establishments [ct-reraca-chapter-420h]. Store the supplier contract, enrollment confirmation, and twelve-month billing CSV in the same folder used for DCP compliance [ct-reraca-chapter-420h].

Public Act 25-173 timing

Public Act 25-173 changes Standard Service procurement toward dynamic purchases [ecm-ct-pa-25-173]. Re-bid supplier contracts before January and July resets if Standard Service becomes more volatile [ecm-ct-pa-25-173]. Cultivation accounts near 500 kW should sign fixed supply before the crossing month [energizect-rate-board-business].

EnergizeCT programs after switch

Energy Opportunities rebates remain on delivery accounts after supply switch [energizect-energy-opportunities]. Order equipment only after utility review [energizect-energy-opportunities].

Municipal utilities block choice

Groton, Norwich, Wallingford, and other municipal electric utilities do not participate in PURA-licensed supplier choice [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. A cannabis operator leasing in a municipal town cannot shop supply for that meter even if other portfolio sites sit on Eversource or UI [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Confirm utility territory with the account number prefix or the PURA customer information page before signing a lease [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Consolidated billing and supplier rate filings

Most Connecticut commercial enrollments use consolidated billing: Eversource or UI delivers power and bills supplier charges on the same statement [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Supplier consolidated-billing rates for business customers are filed monthly in PURA Docket 06-10-22 and published on the EnergizeCT Rate Board alongside Standard Service [energizect-rate-board-business]. Compare your contract rate against both Standard Service and the filed supplier rate for your rate class when auditing the first bill [energizect-rate-board-business].

Dual billing, where the supplier invoices separately, is less common but still appears in some contracts [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]. Accounts payable should know which format you signed [ct-pura-supplier-handbook].

Contract terms from the PURA handbook

The PURA Electric Supplier/Aggregator Handbook lists statutes and regulations governing licensed suppliers, including licensing requirements and customer protections [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]. Before signing, confirm:

Contract element	Why it matters for cannabis
Auto-renewal clause	May roll you into a higher rate at contract end without a new bid [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]
Early termination fee	Buildout delays or license changes can trigger exit costs [ct-pura-supplier-handbook]
Capacity pass-through	ISO-NE capacity may be bundled or passed through separately [energizect-rate-board-business]
Renewal notice period	Align with January and July Standard Service resets [energizect-rate-board-business]

Cannabis license type does not restrict supplier eligibility, but the account must be in the establishment's legal name matching DCP credentials [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

TOU accounts and benchmark selection

Eversource Rate 27 and Rate 37 Standard Service uses time-of-day pricing: 13.374 cents/kWh peak and 10.374 cents/kWh off-peak for July through December 2026 [energizect-rate-board-business]. UI Rate GST uses 13.9333 cents/kWh peak and 10.9333 cents/kWh off-peak [energizect-rate-board-business]. Flat supplier quotes must be compared against a weighted average of peak and off-peak kWh from interval data, not the flat Rate 30 benchmark alone [energizect-rate-board-business].

Last Resort Service enrollment above 500 kW

Customers at 500 kW monthly demand or above take Last Resort Service, purchased quarterly and priced monthly [energizect-rate-board-business]. Cultivators approaching the threshold should model the month of crossing before canopy expansion energizes additional load [eversource-ct-rates-2026]. A fixed supplier contract signed while still under 500 kW may still be advantageous, but confirm with the supplier how LRS default pricing interacts with your rate class [energizect-rate-board-business].

What happens at contract end

When a supplier contract expires without renewal, the account returns to Standard Service under 500 kW or Last Resort Service at 500 kW and above [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Standard Service resets January 1 and July 1 [energizect-rate-board-business]. Set calendar reminders 60 days before contract end and before each reset to re-bid or extend [energizect-rate-board-business]. Public Act 25-173 reworks Standard Service procurement toward dynamic market purchases, which may increase benchmark volatility for sub-500 kW accounts [ecm-ct-pa-25-173].

Meter read timing and effective dates

Effective date is typically the next meter read after the supplier's enrollment clears [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Processing often takes one to five weeks depending on billing cycle [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Overlapping supplier and Standard Service lines on a transition bill are normal; verify the start date against the enrollment confirmation letter [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Rate Board reset calendar for portfolio accounts

Mark January 1 and July 1 EnergizeCT Rate Board updates for every sub-500 kW account [energizect-rate-board-business]. Re-bid supplier contracts before resets when fixed offers beat proposed Standard Service [energizect-rate-board-business]. Cultivation accounts above 500 kW should prioritize Last Resort Service avoidance over Standard Service timing [energizect-rate-board-business].

Equity joint venture energization

DCP accepts Equity Joint Venture applications while lotteries are closed [ct-credential-count]. New JV meters should enroll supply at energization to avoid unintended Last Resort Service above 500 kW [energizect-rate-board-business]. Keep credential holder name aligned with utility account name [ct-credential-count].

Meter read timing and harvest cycles

Enrollment effective dates align to the next meter read after processing [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Cultivation operators should avoid switching mid-harvest if production tracking ties to billing periods [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Confirm the first post-switch bill within one cycle [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Additional procurement and tariff notes

Wrong-account enrollment risks include landlord common-area meters and buildout temporary service [ct-credential-count]. Enroll only the credential holder account [ct-pura-choose-supplier].

Additional load and utility notes

Returning to Standard Service or Last Resort Service follows supplier termination terms [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Document whether exit was contract end or early termination for audit [ct-pura-supplier-handbook].

First bill audit after enrollment

Verify Standard Service or Last Resort Service supply disappeared, supplier charge matches contract, and delivery lines unchanged [ct-pura-choose-supplier]. Escalate supply variances to the supplier before the next auto-pay cycle [ct-pura-supplier-handbook].

Where to go next

See commercial rates, Eversource Connecticut, United Illuminating, cultivation facility energy, and what is energy deregulation.