What’s the difference between a utility and a provider?
In every state, utility companies deliver electricity to homes and businesses. Your utility is based on your location. Some states have deregulated or partially deregulated energy markets, allowing consumers to choose where to buy energy: their utility company or an energy provider. Energy providers are independent companies that sell electricity plans to consumers and are typically responsible for managing your electric account and billing.
Deregulation varies by state. In Texas, for example, consumers can only purchase electricity from an energy provider and don’t have the option to buy from their utility. In other deregulated states, like Maryland, for instance, residents can purchase electricity from either their utility or a separate provider.
This guide lists major utility companies in deregulated states. Navigate to your state to learn more about the utility company that serves you.
California
Only natural gas is deregulated in California, so residents can choose their natural gas provider but not their electric company.
Pacific Gas & Electric
- Headquartered in San Francisco
- Delivers electricity and natural gas to roughly 16 million customers across northern and central California
San Diego Gas & Electric
- Primary natural gas utility for San Diego and southern Orange County
- Founded in 1818, it is now a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 energy company.
- SDG&E delivers natural gas and electricity to over 3.6 million customers, and its service area spans 4,100 square miles.
Southern California Gas
- The main natural gas utility for Southern California.
- Southern California Gas has operated for more than 140 years and is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy.
- SoCalGas serves over 20 million natural gas customers in more than 500 communities.
- Its 20,000-square-mile service area ranges from the Mexican border to Visalia in the San Joaquin Valley.
Connecticut utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated in parts of Connecticut.
- Eversource Energy is the largest utility service in New England.
- Eversource serves more than 1.2 million electric customers and 222,000 natural gas customers throughout Connecticut.
- Eversource was formerly known as Connecticut Light and Power.
- The United Illuminating Company is a regional electric utility headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut and established in 1899.
- United Illuminating delivers energy to over 325,000 residential, commercial, and industrial consumers around Bridgeport and New Haven.
- The company is a subsidiary of Avangrid.
Delaware utilities
Both electricity and natural gas are deregulated in Delaware.
Delaware Electric Cooperative
- Delaware Electric Cooperative serves rural communities in Kent and Sussex counties.
- DEC has been operating since 1936.
- Delmarva Power is a part of Exelon Corporation, which serves roughly 10 million customers.
- Delmarva provides electricity and natural gas to customers in Delaware and Maryland.
Georgia utilities
Only natural gas is deregulated in Georgia; electricity remains regulated for residential customers.
- Atlanta Gas Light is a subsidiary of AGL Resources, which delivers gas to over 4.5 million customers.
- Founded in 1856, Atlanta Gas Light Company is now the largest natural gas distributor in the southeastern United States.
- AGL serves over 1.6 million residential and commercial customers in Georgia.
Illinois utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated in Illinois for residential customers.
- Commonwealth Edison Company, or ComEd, is a subsidiary of Exelon Corp.
- The company provides utility services to 3.8 million customers in Illinois.
- Based in Collinsville, Illinois, Ameren Illinois is a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation.
- It delivers energy to over 1.2 million electric and 816,000 natural gas customers in central and southern Illinois.
- Ameren also maintains more than 45,000 miles of electrical lines and 18,000 natural gas pipelines.
- Founded in 1856, North Shore Gas is a regulated gas utility serving the northern Chicago suburbs.
- North Shore Gas delivers natural gas to 159,000 customers in Cook and Lake counties.
- Based in Chicago, Northshore Gas is a subsidiary of People’s Gas.
- Founded in 1954, Nicor Gas is Northern Illinois’s largest natural gas utility.
- Nicor Gas’ service territory includes the northern third of the state.
- Nicor Gas operates, maintains, and manages over 34,000 miles of natural gas pipelines.
- Nicor Gas is a subsidiary of AGL Resources.
Maine utilities
Electricity is deregulated in Maine, but natural gas remains regulated.
- Central Maine Power Company, founded in 1899, serves over 600,000 central and southern Maine customers.
- Central Maine Power’s service area covers 11,000 square miles, and it maintains and repairs over 25,000 miles of electric wires.
- Previously Emera Maine, Versant Power serves nearly 160,000 customers in Maine.
- Versant Power’s service areas include both the Bangor Hydro and Maine Public districts.
Maryland utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated in Maryland.
- BG&E is the oldest gas utility in the nation and the largest utility in Maryland.
- Baltimore Gas & Electric has a service area of over 2,300 square miles and delivers electricity to 1.25 million residential and small business customers.
- BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon and maintains over 25,000 miles of distribution and transmission lines.
- Delmarva Power, founded in 1909, is a subsidiary of Exelon.
- Delmarva Power delivers electricity to 515,000 customers in Maryland and Delaware, and natural gas to over 129,000 customers.
- PEPCO has served energy customers in greater Washington, D.C., since 1896.
- The utility company promotes global sustainability efforts through its WaterShed Sustainability Center.
- Potomac Edison, operating under FirstEnergy, provides energy services to thousands of homes and businesses across the state.
- The company hosts a range of resources for customers who want to save energy and money.
- Washington Gas Light Company is the primary natural gas utility for the District of Columbia.
- Washington Gas Light Company delivers natural gas to over a million homes and businesses in and around Washington, D.C. It is a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc.
Massachusetts utilities
Both electricity and natural gas are deregulated in Massachusetts.
Unitil (Fitchburg Gas & Electric)
- Unitil is an electric and natural gas utility that serves customers in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine.
- Until serves over 104,300 electric customers and 79,900 natural gas customers.
- Until’s service area includes Fitchburg, Massachusetts; Concord, New Hampshire; and the cities of Portland and Lewiston in Maine.
- Originally known as Western Massachusetts Electric, Eversource serves 207,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
- Eversource has a service area of 1,490 square miles, making it one of the largest utilities in New England.
- Eversource operates over 4,200 miles of electric distribution and power lines.
- National Grid is the largest natural gas distributor in the northeastern United States.
- National Grid delivers natural gas to 3.6 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
- National Grid also transmits electricity to 3.4 million customers in the same states.
Michigan utilities
Electricity and natural gas are deregulated in parts of Michigan. Electric choice is limited in some parts of the state where it remains regulated by utilities.
DTE Energy (Michigan Consolidated)
- DTE delivers electricity to over 2.1 million customers in southeast Michigan.
- DTE is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the country, serving roughly 1.2 million customers in northern and central Michigan.
- Michigan Gas Utilities delivers energy to roughly 170,000 customers in southwest Michigan.
- Michigan Gas Utilities’ service area includes Grand Haven, Otsego, Benton Harbor, Coldwater and Monroe.
- Formerly known as Aquila Energy, Michigan Gas Utilities is a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group.
- SEMCO Energy Gas Company is a regulated public utility that serves about 290,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Michigan.
- SEMCO’s service territory covers parts of the Upper and Lower peninsulas.
New Hampshire
Electricity is deregulated in New Hampshire, whereas natural gas is regulated.
- Eversource Energy serves natural gas and electric customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
- Eversource Energy was originally called Northeast Utilities in New Hampshire and was founded in 1966.
Liberty Utilities
- Liberty Utilities provides natural gas and electricity services to over 1.2 million customers.
- This utility was formerly called National Grid and Granite State Electric Company.
New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC)
- New Hampshire Electric Cooperative is a customer-owned company that brings electricity to rural areas of New Hampshire.
- NHEC was founded in 1939 in Plymouth, New Hampshire.
New Jersey utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated in New Jersey.
- Atlantic City Electric serves over 2,700 square miles in southern New Jersey and delivers electricity to over 545,000 customers.
- Counties served include Camden, Cape May, Atlantic, Burlington, Ocean, and others.
- Atlantic City Electric is a subsidiary of PEPCO Holdings.
- Jersey Central Power & Light serves 6 million customers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio.
- In New Jersey, JCP&L serves customers in Burlington, Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties.
- Jersey Central Power & Light is a subsidiary of First Energy, one of the largest energy delivery companies in the United States.
- Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) is the largest utility in New Jersey.
- PSE&G provides electric and natural gas services to 5.1 million customers.
- PSE&G began operations in 1903.
- Rockland Electric, a subsidiary of Orange & Rockland, delivers energy to 61,109 residential electric customers in northern New Jersey.
- Rockland Electric’s service area includes parts of Passaic, Bergen, and Essex counties.
- Elizabethtown Gas delivers natural gas to over 277,000 customers in southern New Jersey.
- Elizabethtown Gas service area includes the counties of Union, Middlesex, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Morris, and Mercer.
- In 2004, Elizabethtown Gas became a subsidiary of AGL Resources.
- South Jersey Gas delivers energy to over 343,560 customers in southern New Jersey.
- A subsidiary of South Jersey Industries, the utility’s 2,500-square-mile service area covers roughly a third of the state.
- The service area includes Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties.
- South Jersey Gas was founded in 1910.
New York utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated in New York.
- Central Hudson Gas & Electric serves 300,000 electric customers in New York’s Mid-Hudson River Valley.
- Central Hudson Gas & Electric’s service area extends from the New York City suburbs in the south to Albany in the north, including Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Beacon, and Kingston.
- The Consolidated Edison Co., commonly known as ConEd, has become one of the world’s largest energy delivery companies since its founding in 1823.
- ConEd serves 10 million customers in various parts of New York.
National Grid (Keyspan New York)
- Keyspan New York is a subsidiary of National Grid, the largest natural gas distributor in the Northeast.
- Keyspan serves 3.6 million natural gas customers and 3.4 million electricity customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
National Grid (Keyspan Long Island)
- Keyspan Long Island is a subsidiary of National Grid.
- Keyspan Long Island delivers natural gas to 3.6 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
- Keyspan Long Island delivers electricity to roughly 3.4 million customers in the same states.
- Rochester Gas & Electric is the utility for electricity and natural gas customers in and around Rochester, New York.
- RG&E serves nearly 700,000 customers across nine counties.
- RG&E is a subsidiary of AVANGRID.
Ohio utilities
Electricity and natural gas are both deregulated for Ohio residents.
- Duke Energy Ohio is a subsidiary of Duke Energy, America’s largest electric power holding company.
- Duke Energy Ohio delivers electricity to 840,000 homes and businesses in southeastern Ohio.
- Duke’s 3,000-square-mile service area includes Cincinnati.
- Ohio Edison is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy.
- Ohio Edison delivers electricity to over a million customers in central and northeastern Ohio.
- Ohio Edison’s service area includes Ashland, Champaign, Clark, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Erie, Franklin, Knox, Miami, Union, and Wayne counties.
- Ohio Edison operates over 30,000 miles of electric power lines.
- A subsidiary of AEP Ohio, Ohio Power transmits and distributes electricity to nearly 1.5 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
- The company is headquartered in Columbus and manages and operates over 31,000 miles of electrical wire, ensuring reliable delivery to your doorstep.
- Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of First Energy, delivers electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in northwestern Ohio.
- Dominion East Ohio is a subsidiary of Dominion Resources, one of the largest energy distributors in the United States.
- Now operating under Enbridge Gas Ohio, Dominion East Ohio serves millions of customers across 12 states.
- Vectren delivers natural gas to over a million residential and commercial customers in Ohio and Indiana.
- In Ohio, Vectren serves 314,000 customers in the state’s western and central regions.
- Vectren’s service area includes Dayton, Troy, Bellefontaine, Centerville, and Fairborn.
- The company is based in Evansville, Indiana.
Pennsylvania utilities
Both electricity and natural gas are deregulated in Pennsylvania.
- Duquesne Light Company is the primary electric utility for the Pittsburgh area.
- Duquesne Light Company delivers electricity to over 500,000 residential and business customers in its 817-square-mile service area and operates over 45,000 miles of overhead power lines.
- The company was founded in the late 1870s by famed inventor George Westinghouse.
- Metropolitan Edison is an Akron-based electric utility that operates in central and eastern Pennsylvania.
- Met-Ed delivers electricity to over 560,000 customers.
- Metropolitan Edison’s 3,300-square-mile service area includes parts of Adams, Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lebanon, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Pike, and York counties.
- Met-Ed is a subsidiary of First Energy.
- National Fuel is a natural gas utility that serves western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania.
- In Pennsylvania, its service area includes Sharon and Erie.
- National Fuel delivers energy to 740,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers and is headquartered in Williamsville, New York.
- The Philadelphia Electric Company, or PECO, is the largest natural gas and electric utility.
- PECO serves 1.6 million electric customers and 485,000 natural gas customers.
- PECO’s 2,100-square-mile service area includes Philadelphia, Coatesville, Pottstown, Norristown, and Willow Grove.
Peoples Gas (formerly Equitable Gas)
- In 2013, Equitable Gas was purchased by Peoples Gas Company.
- Peoples serves over 700,000 natural gas customers in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
- Peoples Gas’ service area in Pennsylvania includes Pittsburgh, Altoona, Clarion, Johnstown, and Uniontown.
- PPL Electric Utilities serves nearly 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, making it one of the largest utilities in the state.
- As an industry leader for almost 30 years, PPL remains dedicated to improving customer communication and power delivery.
- UGI Central Penn Gas is a natural gas and electric utility that delivers energy to over 650,000 customers in hundreds of communities across the state.
- The company was founded in 1944 and was formerly known as PPL Gas Utilities.
- Its service area includes parts of Monroe, Carbon, Lancaster, Clarion, Venango, McKean, Clearfield, Potter, Schuylkill, Bradford, and Chester.
- The company is based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and is a subsidiary of UGI Utilities, Inc.
- UGI Penn Natural Gas is the largest natural gas distribution company in northeast and central Pennsylvania.
- UGI delivers energy to roughly 158,000 customers, including the cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Williamsport.
- The utility was founded in 1854.
- West Penn Power is a natural gas and electric utility based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
- West Penn Power delivers energy to over 724,000 electric customers in 24 Pennsylvania counties.
- West Penn Power is a subsidiary of First Energy Corp.
Texas utilities
Only electricity is deregulated in Texas, not natural gas. Texas’ deregulated market spans 85% of the state and requires residents and businesses to choose their provider. This setup differs from other deregulated states, which allow residents to pick between their utility and an independent supplier.
- AEP Texas Central is an electric utility operating in southern and central Texas.
- AEP delivers energy to over 800,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
- AEP Texas Central is a subsidiary of American Electric Power Company, one of the largest electrical utilities in the United States.
- AEP Texas North is an electric utility that serves over 49 counties and 176 cities across central, northern, and western Texas.
- AEP delivers energy to over 184,000 residential, commercial, and business customers and operates over 18,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines.
- AEP was formerly known as West Texas Utility.
- CenterPoint Energy is based in Houston, where it is the primary electrical utility.
- CenterPoint delivers electricity to 2 million Houston residents and businesses.
- CenterPoint has won numerous awards for its service and environmental stewardship.
- Oncor Electric Delivery spans 402 cities and 91 counties in Texas, making it one of the largest electric utilities in the state.
- The company employs advanced energy technologies to improve and maintain its 3.4 million meters and 122,000 miles of power lines.
- Texas New Mexico Power provides service to roughly 236,000 customers in more than 20 communities throughout the state.
- Its service area includes the cities of Kermit, Sanderson, Gatesville, Whitney, Farmersville, Angleton, and Texas City.
- The utility manages over 9,000 miles of electric power lines and distribution wires.
- TNMP is based in Lewisville, Texas.
- The city of Lubbock recently joined Texas’ deregulated market in 2024.
- Lubbock Power & Light delivers electricity to residents and businesses in Lubbock, Texas.
- The utility has been serving the area since its founding in 1916.
- The City of Lubbock currently owns Lubbock Light & Power.
How to compare your energy options with Choose Energy
Knowing which company to buy electricity or natural gas from can be challenging. If you live in a deregulated state, it’s helpful to compare your options on an independent marketplace like Choose Energy. Our free marketplace lets you shop for energy plans the way you want — whether you prefer to research options on your own or want the guidance of an expert, we can simplify the process for you:
Want to compare plans at your own pace? Our online marketplace compiles today’s most accurate rates and plans from top electricity companies. Enter your ZIP code to explore options in your area and filter your results by providers, home size, features like green energy, and more.
Want personalized guidance and real-time answers to your questions? Call the number on your screen — our team is standing by to help. Be ready with a few details, such as your address or ESID number, social security number, and email address (your data is always secure). One of our agents will ask you a few questions to better understand your energy needs and budget, and then connect you with the best deals available in your area. Some plans are only available over the phone, so you may have access to even more options. We’ll make sure you’re getting exactly what you need, whether that’s a lower bill, a more reliable provider, or a plan that better matches your usage.
We also understand the deregulated energy market can be complicated — our experts can answer questions about confusing things like utility delivery fees, early termination fees, Electricity Facts Labels, fixed-rate vs. variable-rate plans, and more.
Once you identify the right plan match, you can sign up right away. Just like with the online experience, your new provider will take over from there and ensure there is no interruption to your service.
Frequently asked questions about utility companies
What is the main company that supplies electricity?
There are many different utility companies across the United States that delivery electricity, natural gas, or both. Each state typically has a few that serve specified areas. Check your past energy bill to learn who delivers your power.
What utility companies are in Texas?
There are five main utility companies in Texas: Oncor Electric Delivery, CenterPoint Energy, AEP Texas North, AEP Texas Central, and Texas-New Mexico Power. Lubbock Light & Power recently joined the deregulated market, but it only serves the city of Lubbock.
Who provides electricity to my address?
Call the number on your screen to learn which company delivers electricity to your home. You can also enter your ZIP code on Choose Energy to compare providers active in your area and switch to a better fit for your home if you’re unsatisfied with your current service.