Words on your energy bill, explained

Your town, city or county buys power or gas for everyone in town as a group. In an opt-out program you are put in unless you say no. In an opt-in program you join only if you sign up.

The State of Ohio's price list, run by the PUCO at energychoice.ohio.gov. It lists the offers from companies that sell power and gas in your area.

New Jersey's name for your gas company's own price for gas. It is set once a year, starting October 1, and can change during the year.

New Jersey's name for the power your utility buys for you if you never picked another company. The utilities buy it at one statewide auction each February. Your bill calls its price the Price to Compare.

Massachusetts' name for your electric company's own price. You pay it if you never picked another company. It changes twice a year, on February 1 and August 1.

PJM runs the power grid in many of the states Judy covers, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and ComEd's part of Illinois. Each year it holds an auction to pay for enough power plants for a year that runs June 1 to May 31. That price is part of the cost of power, so it can move standard prices.

New Hampshire's name for a town program: the town picks one company and one price for everyone in town. If your town has it, you may pay the town's price, not Default Service. To leave, call the town's program.

The power price you pay in New Hampshire if you never picked another company. Eversource, Liberty and Unitil change it on February 1 and August 1. Pennsylvania utilities use the same words for their own price.

Supply charges pay for the energy itself. Delivery charges pay your utility to bring it to your home over its wires or pipes. Delivery charges are the same whoever sells you the energy, so only the supply part changes when you switch.

Money you pay if you leave a plan before it ends. It must be listed before you sign up. Home plans in Illinois and Connecticut can't charge one, and Rhode Island limits it.

New York's name for a company that sells you power or gas. Your utility, like Con Edison or National Grid, still delivers it and sends your bill. New York has no Price to Compare: your utility's own supply price is the one to beat.

A fixed rate stays the same for every month of your contract. A variable rate can go up or down each month. Watch for a low starting price that goes up after the first few months.

Michigan's name for your gas company's own price for gas. You pay it if you never picked another company. The state approves it, the gas company makes no profit on it, and it can change every month.

A unit of electricity. Your electric bill shows how many you used this month, and prices are given in cents per kWh.

Rhode Island's name for Rhode Island Energy's own price for power. You pay it if you never picked another company. It changes on April 1 and October 1.

The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council: a group of Northeast Ohio communities that buys power and gas for homes in its member towns. Homes are put in unless they opt out. Judy compares NOPEC's price with the utility's own price.

The State of Pennsylvania's price list at papowerswitch.com. Gas offers are on PA Gas Switch (pagasswitch.com).

The State of Illinois's price list at plugin.illinois.gov. It lists offers from companies that sell power and gas.

Your utility's own price for power, or for gas in some places. You pay it if you never picked another company. A plan only saves you money if its price is lower.

A column on Ohio's Apples to Apples list. It shows what share of a plan's power the company says comes from renewable sources, from 0% to 100%, and you can sort the list by it. It doesn't change who delivers your power.

The few days after you sign up when you can cancel for free. How long depends on your state: in Pennsylvania it is 3 business days after you get the plan papers, and for Ohio electric it is 7 days from your utility's letter.

Switching you to a new company without your OK, which is against the law. If it happens, call your utility and your state's utility office. You should not have to pay fees for a switch you did not ask for.

Ohio's name for your gas company's own price. It follows the market price of gas, so it changes every month. Duke Energy calls it the Standard Service Offer.

Maine's name for the price you pay if you never picked another company. The Maine PUC picks it each year, and it changes on January 1. Rhode Island Energy also uses this name for Last Resort Service.

The name for your electric company's own price in Maryland and Washington, DC. You pay it if you never picked another company.

Connecticut's name for Eversource's or UI's own price for power. You pay it if you never picked another company. It changes on January 1 and July 1.

A company that sets the price for your electricity or gas but does not deliver it. Georgia calls gas sellers marketers, and Texas calls power sellers retail electric providers. Your utility (or wires company) still brings the energy to your home.

The price for the energy itself, like cents per kWh or per unit of gas. It is the part of your bill that changes when you pick another company.

Units of natural gas on your bill. A Ccf is a hundred cubic feet and an Mcf is a thousand, so 1 Mcf is the same as 10 Ccf. A therm is a unit of heat from gas.