Same utility. Same invoice. Different supplier. Better rates. Here's how it actually works.
Understanding the difference between your utility and your supplier is the key to unlocking energy savings.
Your utility—ComEd, Eversource, National Grid, CenterPoint—owns the poles, wires, and infrastructure that deliver electricity and gas, and handles outages, metering, and reliability. You cannot choose your utility—it's set by your address and delivers your energy regardless of who supplies it.
Your supplier is who you buy the commodity—electricity or natural gas—from. In deregulated markets, dozens of licensed retail energy providers compete for your business on rates, terms, and pricing structures. This is where choice exists, and where savings are found.
In most deregulated markets, you get one consolidated utility bill with two parts: Delivery Charges (fixed infrastructure fees) and Supply/Generation Charges (variable energy costs). Switching suppliers changes only the supply portion—typically a significant part of your total commercial energy bill.
Power Plant → Transmission Grid → Local Utility → Your Meter → Your Facility
This never changes regardless of supplier
Your Payment → Utility Bill → Split: Delivery to Utility + Supply to Your Chosen Supplier
Supplier choice affects a significant portion of costs
Energy choice is available in 15 U.S. states. If your business operates in these markets, you can choose your supplier.
A legitimate question: "Why do I need a middleman?" Here's the honest answer.
Call a supplier directly and you're one customer with no leverage on rate. Brokers solicit bids from multiple suppliers at once, and suppliers sharpen pricing because they know they're competing.
A single business renews once every 1-3 years; brokers place dozens of customers monthly. That deal flow earns preferred pricing individual businesses can't access alone.
Wholesale energy prices fluctuate hourly with weather, demand, and global events. Brokers monitor ERCOT, PJM, ISO-NE, and other markets continuously, knowing when to lock rates versus wait for a better window.
Energy contracts hide complex clauses—bandwidth tolerance, early termination, auto-renewal, capacity charges, transmission pass-throughs—that raise costs if negotiated poorly. Brokers read hundreds of contracts annually.
Reputable brokers are paid by suppliers via a small commission in the supply rate—never charged to clients. The service is effectively free, and net savings still exceed any embedded cost.
We only get paid when we place your account, and only keep your business if we deliver value. Our success is tied directly to your savings—a partnership, not a transaction.
These are actual results from Inertia Resources clients using strategic procurement strategies.
Industry: Fitness Center
16-24 hour daily operations with heavy HVAC and equipment loads. We implemented a hybrid index pricing strategy with strategic blocks.
Industry: Quick Service Restaurant
Energy across 200+ locations in multiple states required state-specific seasonal hedging with coordinated procurement.
Industry: Cannabis Cultivation
Energy-intensive cultivation required a block-and-index strategy with seasonal hedging to manage substantial consumption.
Industry: Restaurant Group
Locked into an unfavorable fixed-rate contract, we transitioned them to a seasonal block-and-index strategy.
Industry: Commercial Construction
Variable project loads and temporary site connections required a flexible block-and-index approach that adapted to changing consumption.
Combined Results Across These 5 Clients:
$2.56M+ in 5-Year Savings
Average cost reduction: 24-32% | All using block-and-index hybrid strategies
It seems counterintuitive—a middleman should add cost, not cut it. Here's why the opposite is true.
Suppliers budget heavily for sales, marketing, and acquisition—and a business calling directly still triggers those costs. With brokers, one relationship delivers many accounts, letting suppliers offer better base rates while protecting margins.
The math: a rep might close 2-3 deals a month going direct, but get many more qualified opportunities from one broker relationship. Suppliers compete aggressively for broker business because the volume economics are far better—and your contract benefits.
Large brokers have relationships with Tier 1 suppliers—major players with sophisticated trading desks and stronger wholesale positions. On identical terms, the gap between Tier 1 and smaller regional players can be significant. Brokers give you access to suppliers you'd never qualify for alone.
When a broker receives offers from multiple suppliers for your load profile, outliers are obvious—if one is much higher (or suspiciously lower), the broker investigates. A business dealing direct has no benchmark and can't tell if an offer is competitive.
The "best" energy contract isn't the lowest rate—it's the right structure for your business needs and risk tolerance.
Lock a single price per kWh/therm for 12-60 months—your rate stays flat regardless of market swings.
Pay real-time or day-ahead market rates plus a small adder—costs fluctuate with the wholesale market.
Fix a "block" of baseload at a set rate while the rest floats at market index. Example: 60% fixed, 40% index.
Like block-and-index, but the fixed percentage applies to actual monthly usage rather than a set kWh amount.
Buy your future load in "layers" over time at different price points—like dollar-cost averaging.
Fix higher percentages during volatile seasons (winter in the Northeast, summer in Texas) while floating in milder months.
Not sure which strategy fits your business? That's exactly what we help you figure out.
Get Strategy Recommendation →Straight answers to the questions businesses ask most when exploring energy procurement.
No. Your utility still delivers electricity through the same wires and poles regardless of who supplies it. Switching suppliers is purely a financial/contractual change—you'll notice no difference in service or reliability.
No. Your existing meters, electrical systems, and utility connections stay exactly the same. The switch happens entirely on the billing/administrative side.
Typically 1-2 billing cycles (30-90 days depending on your utility territory), with no service interruption. You receive power normally while the administrative switch processes.
Yes—you can return to your utility's default supply rate at any time (though your current supplier's contract terms may apply). You're never locked into third-party supply forever.
Your utility automatically becomes your default supplier until you select a new one—no interruption, the lights stay on. This happens occasionally in deregulated markets, and customers are always protected by this safety net.
Results vary by market conditions, load profile, and timing, but commercial clients typically see 20-30% reductions on the supply portion of their bills. Across 4,000+ clients over 15+ years, Inertia Resources has averaged 27% savings. We'll provide a free analysis of your specific potential.
No catch. Brokers are paid by suppliers through a small commission in the supply rate—a fraction of a cent per kWh, never charged separately to you. Net savings to clients consistently exceed any embedded broker compensation. If we couldn't save you money, we wouldn't earn anything.
You could, but you'd likely pay more. Suppliers reserve competitive pricing for brokers who bring volume and deal flow, not individual businesses. The "broker fee" is typically less than the extra discount we negotiate—net savings you wouldn't get going direct.
Not necessarily. A low rate with punitive early termination fees, tight bandwidth tolerances, or hidden pass-throughs can cost more than a higher rate with favorable terms. We evaluate total cost of ownership, not the headline rate.
Utilities don't advertise it—they'd prefer you stay on default supply. Deregulation varies by state and isn't widely marketed, so many owners in deregulated states don't realize they have options until a broker, peer, or industry association points it out.
Currently, these states offer commercial energy choice: Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Michigan, Virginia, and Washington DC. Natural gas choice is available in additional states. If you're unsure, contact us and we'll confirm your options.
These are Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) or Independent System Operators (ISOs) that manage the wholesale electricity grid by region. ERCOT covers Texas, PJM the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest, ISO-NE New England. Each has different market dynamics, pricing, and rules affecting retail energy contracts.
We've been in deregulated energy markets since 2017, with 15+ years of wholesaler relationships and deep market expertise. We serve 4,000+ commercial and industrial clients across 15 states, with particular strength in ERCOT/Texas. Our portfolio includes 200+ Dunkin' Donuts locations—sophisticated energy buyers who return year after year.
Simple: (1) you share a recent energy invoice, (2) we analyze your load profile and solicit competitive bids, (3) we present options with recommendations, (4) you choose, and (5) we handle paperwork and monitor your account ongoing. Typically 1-2 weeks from invoice to signed contract.
No. Our services are completely free—we're compensated by suppliers when we place accounts. No upfront fees, consulting fees, or hidden charges. If we can't save you money, we don't earn anything; our incentives are fully aligned with yours.
From first contact to ongoing savings—what to expect with Inertia Resources.
Upload a recent energy bill so we can analyze your rates, usage patterns, and contract terms. Takes 2 minutes.
We solicit competitive bids from suppliers in your market and analyze which contract structures best fit your business. Takes 3-5 business days.
We present clear, comparable options with our recommendations, explain the trade-offs, and you make the final decision. No pressure.
Once you choose, we handle the paperwork and coordinate with your utility. The switch happens seamlessly over 1-2 billing cycles with no service interruption.
We monitor your account, track renewal dates, and reach out when market conditions favor re-negotiation. You're never left on your own.
15+ years of delivering measurable savings for commercial and industrial clients.
Upload your recent energy invoice and receive a custom savings analysis. No commitment, no pressure—just data.