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

Step 1: Confirm territory and account name

Retail access began under the Utility Restructuring Act of 1996, phased in by July 1998 for all customer classes [ri-pl-96-316]. All Rhode Island Energy (Narragansett Electric) customers may buy supply from a registered nonregulated power producer [ripuc-electric]. Block Island Power Company and Clear River Electric and Water District customers are outside the choice market [ripuc-lrs].

The eligibility question for a cannabis business is account name and utility territory, not license type. A dispensary on a landlord master meter cannot switch unless the landlord switches. Put the account in the licensee name before shopping [rienergy-shop].

Step 2: Pull twelve months of bills and identify LRS group

Record account number, meter number, delivery class (C-06, G-02, G-32, B-32), monthly kWh, monthly peak kW if demand-metered, and every supply and delivery line [ripuc-lrs].

LRS group	Classes	Default supply product
Commercial Group	G-02, C-06, S-06, S-10, S-14	Six-month fixed LRS or optional monthly variable [ripuc-lrs]
Industrial Group	G-32, B-32, X-01	Monthly LRS only [ripuc-lrs]

Warwick cultivators often sit on G-02 or G-32 [ri-ccc-cultivator-list]. Hybrid retail shops usually land on C-06 or G-02 [ripuc-lrs]. Crossing into G-32 changes both delivery demand and supply product [ripuc-lrs].

Step 3: Find your Last Resort Service benchmark

Commercial fixed Last Resort Service for April through September 2026 is 10.485 cents/kWh [ripuc-lrs]. Proposed October 2026 through March 2027 Commercial fixed is 16.581 cents/kWh [ripuc-lrs]. That 6.1 cent winter swing is the main reason Rhode Island operators sign 12- or 24-month fixed supplier contracts before October [ripuc-lrs].

Industrial Group monthly LRS ranged from 10.038 cents/kWh (May 2026) to 17.851 cents/kWh (January 2026) [ripuc-lrs]. G-32 accounts should compare supplier offers against trailing twelve-month industrial LRS average, not summer commercial fixed price [ripuc-lrs].

Commercial Group customers may elect monthly variable LRS instead of six-month fixed while staying on utility default supply [ripuc-lrs]. Review variable history on the RIPUC page before electing [ripuc-lrs].

Step 4: Verify supplier registration

Suppliers must register as nonregulated power producers with the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and comply with the Consumer Bill of Rights (815-RICR-30-05-2) [ripuc-electric]. Confirm registration before sharing interval data or signing.

Step 5: Request comparable offers

Ask each supplier for the same term, fixed vs index product, start month aligned to meter read, and whether ISO-NE capacity is bundled or passed through [ripuc-electric].

Compare all-in supply cents per kWh against the correct LRS benchmark for your group [ripuc-lrs]. A Warwick grow on G-02 Commercial Group compares against 10.485 cents/kWh summer fixed or proposed 16.581 cents/kWh winter fixed [ripuc-lrs]. The same facility on G-32 compares against monthly industrial rows [ripuc-lrs].

Step 6: Sign and enroll

Read contract terms: auto-renewal, notice windows, and early termination fees. The registered supplier submits enrollment to Rhode Island Energy [ripuc-electric]. Effective date is the next meter read after processing [ripuc-electric].

Rhode Island Energy shopping pages explain how supply and delivery appear on one bill [rienergy-shop].

Step 7: Confirm the first bill after the switch

Verify the Last Resort Service supply line became a supplier charge at the contracted rate [rienergy-shop]. G-02 or G-32 delivery demand and System Benefits Charge-funded programs should be unchanged [rienergy-small-business]. Match effective date to contract start [ripuc-electric].

Step 8: Calendar October and April resets

Commercial Group Last Resort Service resets semi-annually in April and October [ripuc-lrs]. Set reminders at 60 and 90 days before each reset to re-bid or extend fixed contracts [ripuc-lrs]. Industrial Group accounts should review supply monthly regardless [ripuc-lrs].

Division of Public Utilities and Carriers registration

Suppliers register as nonregulated power producers with the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers in addition to RIPUC rate oversight [ripuc-electric]. Confirm registration status before sharing load data [ripuc-electric]. Rhode Island Energy shopping pages explain supply versus delivery on the bill [rienergy-shop].

Enrollment on Rhode Island Energy

Shopping pages on Rhode Island Energy explain supply versus delivery line items [rienergy-shop]. Registered suppliers enroll accounts; customers sign supply contracts [ripuc-electric]. Effective date is the next meter read [ripuc-electric].

Commercial Group may elect fixed or variable LRS instead of supplier service [ripuc-lrs]. Compare variable history before electing [ripuc-lrs].

Post-switch bill verification

Confirm Last Resort Service supply disappeared and registered supplier charge matches contract [rienergy-shop]. Delivery class and System Benefits Charge should remain [rienergy-small-business]. Calendar October and April Commercial LRS resets [ripuc-lrs].

Commercial Group fixed vs variable choice

Commercial Group customers may stay on utility Last Resort Service with six-month fixed or monthly variable pricing instead of a competitive supplier [ripuc-lrs]. Variable tracks ISO-NE closely [ripuc-lrs]. Suppliers offer multi-month fixed hedges against October and April resets [ripuc-lrs].

Gather account number, meter number, class, and authorized signatory before enrollment [rienergy-shop]. Effective date aligns to next meter read [ripuc-electric].

Industrial Group monthly review

G-32 accounts on Industrial Group Last Resort Service need monthly supply review or fixed supplier contracts [ripuc-lrs]. January 2026 Industrial LRS hit 17.851 cents per kWh while May 2026 was 10.038 cents [ripuc-lrs].

Registered nonregulated power producers enroll through Rhode Island Energy [ripuc-electric]. Confirm registration before sharing interval data [ripuc-electric].

Common mistakes in Rhode Island

Switching the wrong meter on a campus. Cultivation buildings may have landlord meters, common-area meters, and license meters. Enroll the cannabis licensee account only [rienergy-shop].

Using summer LRS to budget winter on default supply. Commercial fixed jumps from 10.485 to proposed 16.581 cents/kWh at the October reset [ripuc-lrs]. Fixed supplier contracts hedge that line item [ripuc-lrs].

Ignoring G-32 reclassification. Canopy expansion can move an account from Commercial six-month fixed to Industrial monthly LRS [ripuc-lrs]. Model both sides before energizing new load [ripuc-lrs].

Assuming Block Island or Pascoag have choice. Only Rhode Island Energy territory participates in retail access [ripuc-lrs].

Consumer Bill of Rights compliance

Nonregulated power producers must comply with the Consumer Bill of Rights (815-RICR-30-05-2) [ripuc-electric]. Review cancellation and billing dispute rules in supplier contracts against those standards [ripuc-electric]. Rhode Island Energy shopping pages explain supply versus delivery on the bill [rienergy-shop].

Municipal aggregation opt-out

Rhode Island allows municipal aggregation programs administered through Rhode Island Energy [ripuc-electric]. Cannabis accounts in an aggregation city may receive default supply through the aggregation unless they opt to a competitive supplier [ripuc-electric]. Confirm municipal program status on the account before enrolling [ripuc-electric].

Additional procurement and tariff notes

Nonregulated power producers register with Division of Public Utilities and Carriers [ripuc-electric]. Consumer Bill of Rights 815-RICR-30-05-2 applies [ripuc-electric].

Additional load and utility notes

Post-switch: confirm LRS supply replaced, delivery unchanged [rienergy-shop]. Calendar October and April Commercial resets [ripuc-lrs].

Municipal aggregation confirmation

Confirm whether the account sits in municipal aggregation before supplier enrollment [ripuc-electric]. Variable LRS election tracks ISO-NE closely [ripuc-lrs]. Consumer Bill of Rights governs cancellation rules [ripuc-electric].

Enrollment checklist

Gather account number, meter number, rate class, and authorized signatory [rienergy-shop]. Confirm nonregulated power producer registration [ripuc-electric]. Effective date aligns to next meter read [ripuc-electric]. Calendar October and April Commercial LRS resets [ripuc-lrs].

Rhode Island supplier enrollment steps

Registered nonregulated power producers enroll through Rhode Island Energy [ripuc-electric]. Commercial Group may elect fixed or variable Last Resort Service instead of competitive supply [ripuc-lrs]. Municipal aggregation programs may default supply unless account opts out [ripuc-electric]. Consumer Bill of Rights 815-RICR-30-05-2 governs cancellation and billing disputes [ripuc-electric]. Post-switch bill audit: confirm LRS supply line replaced, delivery unchanged [rienergy-shop]. Calendar October and April Commercial LRS resets for retail portfolios [ripuc-lrs].

Rhode Island enrollment pack

Gather account, meter, class, and signatory before calling registered supplier [rienergy-shop]. Variable LRS election tracks ISO-NE closely [ripuc-lrs]. Municipal aggregation opt-out check required [ripuc-electric]. Post-switch audit within first billing cycle [rienergy-shop]. Calendar October and April for Commercial Group [ripuc-lrs]. Consumer Bill of Rights cancellation rules apply [ripuc-electric].

Rhode Island switching timeline

Allow one billing cycle for supplier enrollment effective date on next meter read [ripuc-electric]. Compare variable LRS history before electing monthly utility default [ripuc-lrs]. Keep Consumer Bill of Rights cancellation terms in contract file [ripuc-electric]. Confirm municipal aggregation status on account before signing supplier [ripuc-electric]. Audit first post-switch bill within five business days [rienergy-shop].

Enrollment pack and LRS calendar

Gather account number, meter number, rate class, and authorized signatory before calling a registered supplier [rienergy-shop]. Variable LRS election tracks ISO-NE closely; compare twelve-month variable history before electing monthly utility default [ripuc-lrs]. Municipal aggregation opt-out check is required because some Rhode Island municipalities bundle residential supply [ripuc-electric]. Allow one billing cycle for supplier enrollment effective date on the next meter read [ripuc-electric]. Audit the first post-switch bill within five business days for class and rider errors [rienergy-shop]. Calendar October and April for Commercial Group LRS resets when portfolio contracts expire [ripuc-lrs]. Consumer Bill of Rights cancellation terms apply to all competitive supply contracts [ripuc-electric].

Broker disclosure form

Rhode Island registered brokers must disclose commission structure on the standard disclosure form [ripuc-electric]. Keep a signed copy with the supplier contract in the compliance file [ripuc-electric]. Store both documents with the facility license binder for audit readiness.

Related pages

Commercial rates, cultivation energy.