Welcome To Washington Gas
For 160 years Washington Gas has been distributing natural gas to customers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. We bring natural gas to your home or business safely and reliably.
Residential Customers
Questions and Answers
What is the Customer Choice Program?
As a result of energy deregulation and Washington Gas' advocacy for a competitive market, customers have the choice to buy their gas from Washington Gas - the regulated utility - or from retail energy suppliers.
Washington Gas is required to pass directly through to customers its costs for natural gas. Retail energy suppliers, also referred to as competitive energy suppliers, compete against one another for your business, and some offer price incentives that may result in cost savings to you.
Whether you choose to purchase your gas from Washington Gas or a competitive energy supplier, Washington Gas, as your local utility, will continue to deliver natural gas to your home, read your meter and respond around-the-clock to any natural gas emergency.
Who can participate in the Customer Choice Program?
All residential customers in Maryland are eligible to participate.
When can I sign up for the program?
Enrollment is open every month throughout the year.
How do I participate?
A list of the current retail energy suppliers who meet certain financial and regulatory criteria and who are approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission to participate in the Customer Choice Program is provided below.
If you are considering participating in customer choice, you may want to contact several suppliers, or, in some instances, suppliers already may have contacted you with information -- using advertising, direct mail, personal contact, or other customary means to promote their services.
As with other important consumer purchases, make sure to shop around and compare prices and services. Talk with energy suppliers about their qualifications, price offers and fees, contract requirements, and billing procedures.
If you decide to buy your natural gas from one of the retail energy suppliers listed below, you will be asked to sign a consent form authorizing the supplier to enroll you in the Customer Choice Program.
1-888-243-4663
1-800-805-8586
1-888-627-SAVE
1-800-energy9
Washington Gas Energy Services
1-888-236-9437
Do retail energy suppliers and their sales representatives work for Washington Gas, the utility?
No. Retail energy suppliers are in business to compete against one another to sell you natural gas and perhaps other energy products and services. Washington Gas is the regulated utility and is responsible for the following:
1. Providing the gas supply or commodity to any customer who does not choose to buy from a retail energy supplier.
2. Providing safe and reliable delivery of natural gas to all of its customers and responding around-the-clock to any natural gas
emergency.
3. Reading customers' meters and providing billing services.
4. Reviewing retail energy suppliers' qualifications and imposing specifications on their participation in the Customer Choice Program as appropriate.
What will the supplier charge me?
Remember that energy suppliers are competing against one another for your business so it is likely that their prices and services will differ. Be sure to ask which charges are included in the price that a supplier quotes and ask about any additional fees or charges not included.
How do I compare prices?
When you obtain suppliers' prices, ask whether the price includes the balancing charge, a fee to help ensure adequate supply. Washington Gas' historical price already includes this charge, and you will want to make accurate comparisons.
How do I obtain more information about this program?
Maryland Public Service Commission
410-767-8000 or 1-800-492-0474
Washington Gas
703-750-1000