How to Switch Electricity Providers in Rhode Island: Empower RI and Your Rights

Rhode Island residents can buy electricity from a competitive supplier (called a nonregulated power producer) while Rhode Island Energy, or Pascoag Utility District, keeps delivering the power and sending the bill. If you do nothing, you stay on Last Resort Service. The state's official comparison tool is Empower RI, run by the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, and since a 2019 law, residential supply contracts can no longer renew automatically.

Here's how choice works in Rhode Island, what the rules say, and a checklist to use before you switch.

Who regulates electricity suppliers in Rhode Island?

Two agencies share the work. The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates the electric distribution companies. The Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC) registers suppliers: the PUC's competitive supply FAQ says nonregulated power producers "must be registered with the Division to offer service in Rhode Island." For questions, call the DPUC Consumer Section at (401) 780-9700.

The official comparison site: Empower RI

Empower RI (ri.gov/app/dpuc/empowerri) is a free state tool for comparing electricity supply plans, run by the DPUC. The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources points residents to it for exploring third-party supply rates (Learn about electricity). When the state promoted the tool in 2018, it said the DPUC vets plans offered on the site and that only fixed-rate plans may be displayed there (RI.gov press release).

How switching works in Rhode Island

• Last Resort Service is the default. Customers who do not choose a supplier stay on the utility's standard offer or Last Resort Service.
• Rates change twice a year. The PUC says residential Last Resort Service rates adjust every six months, on April 1 and October 1. Knowing your billing cycle dates can help you time a switch.
• One bill. You still get your bill from Rhode Island Energy or Pascoag. Residential customers do not get a separate supplier bill; only the "Supplier Services" portion changes.
• Delivery is unchanged. The utility keeps delivering power and handling outages and service calls.
• No obligation. The state says, "You do not have to choose a competitive supplier," and you "may or may not save money" if you switch.

Protections from the 2019 law

The PUC's FAQ describes 2019 legislation that changed residential supply contracts:

Rule	What it means
No automatic renewals	The law "eliminates automatic renewals of a contract with a residential customer."
New contract for price changes	A new contract is required if pricing changes from variable to fixed, fixed to variable, or from one fixed rate to another.
Electronic termination	The law allows electronic termination of an existing supply agreement.

You can also contact Rhode Island Energy to block switching on your account, according to the PUC FAQ.

Contract terms and fees to check

Rhode Island Energy's rates and shopping page and the PUC FAQ suggest asking about:

• Contract length and when it ends.
• Fixed or variable pricing.
• Minimum bill amounts.
• Early termination fees.
• Customer service quality and contact options.

Rhode Island Energy suggests a simple savings estimate: subtract your current supply price from the supplier's price and multiply by your monthly kWh from a recent bill.

Step-by-step checklist: switching electricity providers in Rhode Island

1. Find your Last Resort Service price and usage. Both are on your bill. Check our Rhode Island electricity rates page for context.
2. Note the next rate change. Last Resort Service rates change April 1 and October 1.
3. Compare on Empower RI. Use Empower RI to compare plans for your area.
4. Confirm the supplier is registered with the DPUC.
5. Read the terms. Check the price, term length, minimum bill, and early termination fee.
6. Calculate with your usage. Our electric bill calculator shows how a supply price changes your monthly bill.
7. Enroll directly. Sign up with the supplier yourself rather than through an unsolicited caller or visitor.
8. Plan for the end date. Because residential contracts no longer renew automatically, decide in advance whether to sign a new contract or return to Last Resort Service.

Red flags

• A contract that says it will renew automatically at the end of the term.
• A price change from fixed to variable (or a new fixed rate) without a new contract.
• A supplier that is not registered with the Division.
• Pressure to share your account number before you decide.
• Promises of guaranteed savings compared with Last Resort Service.
• A minimum bill or monthly fee that is not obvious in the advertised price.

Is switching worth it in Rhode Island?

It depends on timing and the offer. Because Last Resort Service resets every April and October, a fixed offer that beats the current rate could be higher or lower than the next one. For context, the average US household pays around 18.16¢ per kWh as of August 2026, but your bill depends on your own usage and utility. See our average electric bill page and the EIA Rhode Island profile for more.

How to estimate savings before you switch in Rhode Island

Supply offers are quoted in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), so the quickest test is simple arithmetic. Take the difference between the offer and your Last Resort Service price, then multiply it by the kWh you use in a typical month. As an illustration only: an offer 1 cent per kWh below the default price, on a home using 700 kWh a month, would lower the supply part of the bill by about $7 that month. An offer 1 cent higher would add about $7.

Repeat the math for a high-use month (winter heating or summer cooling) and a low-use month, because the dollar difference grows with usage. Then add any monthly fee the supplier charges, and subtract any sign-up credit spread across the term. If the offer only wins in some months, or only before the Last Resort Service price next changes, the overall result may be close to zero. Our kWh calculator can help if you need to work out usage for specific appliances, and our state rates page shows how prices in Rhode Island compare with other states.

Fixed or variable: choosing a price type in Rhode Island

A fixed-rate plan charges the same supply price per kWh for the contract term. It makes budgeting easier, and you are protected if wholesale prices rise. The downside is that you may pay more than the default rate if that rate falls during your term, and you may owe a fee to leave early if the contract has one.

A variable-rate plan can change from month to month. It may start low, but you carry the risk if prices climb. Before accepting one, ask how the price is calculated, whether there is a ceiling, and how much notice you get before a change. In Rhode Island, a change from fixed to variable pricing, or from one fixed rate to another, requires a new contract under the 2019 law.

Whichever type you pick, write down three dates: when service starts, when the price could change, and when the contract ends. Most problems people report with supply contracts come from missing one of those dates.

What to do if something goes wrong

Start with the supplier. Many billing errors, missed cancellations or wrong prices can be fixed with one call, especially if you have the contract summary and the date you enrolled. Keep notes of who you spoke with and when.

If that does not work, contact the state. In Rhode Island, the Consumer Section of the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers takes questions at (401) 780-9700. Have your utility account number, the supplier's name, and copies of any letters or emails ready. If you think you were switched without permission, say so clearly; unauthorized switching is treated seriously by state regulators.

Renters, movers and new accounts

Renters who pay their own electric bill can usually shop for supply the same way homeowners can, because the account is in their name. If your landlord pays for electricity, the choice belongs to the account holder. When you open a new account after a move, you typically start on the utility's default supply, and you can compare offers once you have a bill showing your account number and usage.

Since residential contracts in Rhode Island no longer renew automatically, keep track of your end date so you know when you will return to Last Resort Service or need to sign a new contract.

Next steps

Run your usage through our electric bill calculator at the Last Resort Service price and any supplier price, then compare offers on Empower RI and review our Rhode Island electricity rates page.