Several states have adopted policies that allow consumers to shop for their electricity supplier. J.Pollock partners with the energy user to hire and fire a REP as necessary to obtain the best price and lowest cost for electricity. However, you may also have a choice even in regulated states. J.Pollock recently advised a client in the Southeast that had chosen to take service from an electric cooperative. That’s right, even in some regulated areas, customers can choose their electricity supplier. The choice may be as simple as where to locate the meter. The client was at the end of a long-term contract and was told that the cooperative could not provide service under the same general pricing terms. Replacement power would be priced at market rates. J.Pollock was retained to assist this client to identify options for providing reliable, cost-effective electricity after the contract expired. We conducted an RFP to determine whether any other suppliers could step up and serve the client at affordable prices. When no other alternative supplier could provide electricity at prices that would allow the client to remain in business, J.Pollock presented the case to the state public service commission. Ultimately, the commission agreed to transfer the client to another regulated supplier. This service transfer resulted in over $5 million in savings (versus only $30,000 in fees charged by J.Pollock), and just as important, it preserved jobs and other economic benefits by keeping the plant in operation.