"As funny as that seems, we actually purchase electricity or gas on behalf of the customer."-Patrick Stella, spokesperson National Grid
While most New Yorkers can tell you which cellular plan they buy data from, few can tell you which energy supplier is providing electricity and/or natural gas to their home or business.
National Grid is in the business of delivering energy but is not an energy supplier. That's a fact that many people are not aware of. But if you examine a utility bill from National Grid (or any other delivery company operating in New York State) you will find sections dedicated to showing you exactly who you are buying your energy from.
If you've never actively chosen a supplier, you will be automatically enrolled in a system that gives you an average rate based on all suppliers. It might be worth shopping around.
In this podcast, National Grid's Patrick Stella makes sense of what is a somewhat confusing system that affects your cash flow monthly:
Photos by Getty Images.