Frequently asked questions
All about our business
Direct Energy Business is part of a leading energy and energy-related services provider, serving more than 180,000 customers in 21 U.S. markets, the District of Columbia, and five Canadian provinces. Through energy choice and a suite of innovative products and services, we help our customers buy less electricity and natural gas and better manage the impact of energy on their budget and operations. Learn more about us.
At Direct Energy Business, we use our expertise in the energy marketplace to provide straightforward guidance related to your electricity, gas and other energy needs. In addition to providing competitive electricity and natural gas supply plans, we offer businesses valuable energy management solutions to help them buy and use less of what we sell. In addition, with a dedicated team of sales professionals and an in-house customer relations team, you will receive personalized support, from your initial contact with us and throughout the term of your contract.
We provide energy supply and related services to businesses of all sizes (large businesses that spend over $8,000/month and small businesses that spend less than $8,000 per month) and all types, including government entities, schools, commercial real estate, healthcare, manufacturers, retail, and food and beverage. We also work with wholesalers, including utilities, producers, power generators, municipalities, co-ops, and other large wholesale customers.
What makes Direct Energy Business different from my utility company?
Both Direct Energy Business and your local utility company supply electricity and/or natural gas to retail customers like you. The difference is that Direct Energy Business, as a competitive retail energy supplier, has more flexibility in purchasing electricity and natural gas in the wholesale energy markets. This flexibility allows us to offer more product choices, and in some cases, more competitive or customized pricing than you would get by taking service from your local utility (sometimes called "utility default service").
In addition, utilities still own the power lines and distribution network for your electricity and natural gas, so outages and meter issues continue to be maintained by your local utility or local distribution company.
Products and services
Every day across North America, more than six million residential, business, and home services customers turn to Direct Energy for their electricity and natural gas, home energy services, energy efficient solutions, and more. From competitively priced electricity plans and energy audits to HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) installation and service, Direct Energy offers a full range of services to ensure your home runs as smoothly and reliably as possible - all in a way that suits you and your home. Learn more about our commerical services at our commercial services page.
To enroll your home for electricity & natural gas services, please visit our residential site to enroll.
If you operate a business and would like to discuss your pricing and product options with an energy expert, you can request a quote. A member of our experienced team will follow up with you to discuss your business' energy needs. To discuss your pricing and product options over the phone, please contact us 1-866-867-8167.
Customers pay for two components when they use natural gas and electricity: supply, which is the cost of the energy you use, and delivery, which is the cost of delivering that energy to you. Because Direct Energy Business (and all other suppliers) use your utility company's existing infrastructure to deliver your energy, the delivery cost doesn't change when you switch suppliers.
Switching to Direct Energy Business only impacts the supply portion of your bill. Since your utility company will continue to deliver your energy, the delivery portion of your bill won’t change when you switch. Our online prices do not include delivery or taxes.
Billing inquiries
If you are a current Direct Energy Business customer, you can enroll in paperless billing by calling us at 1-866-867-8167.
Depending on the market your business is located in, the type of product you select and your annual usage, we may have different billing options to offer you. This can include a single bill from Direct Energy that includes all charges, a single bill from your utility that includes all charges, or separate bills from Direct Energy and your utility. For customers who are billed by us for their supply charges and/or for their supply and utility charges, we may be able to offer:
- Consolidated billing (all accounts appear on the same invoice)
- Paperless billing (bills are posted online with an email notification when a new invoice is ready)
- Online bill pay
Current customers
If you are relocating your business, we require that you provide us with a written notice, preferably at least 30 days in advance. To drop your current account(s) and enroll your new location(s) with us:
- We accept written notices via email, fax or U.S.mail. Please use the address information in the box above.
- Please include the local utility account number(s) and the current service address(es) for each location, as well as the new service address(es) where you are relocating. Your local utility account number can be found on your latest energy bill. Please include your contact information or the contact information for the person requesting the drop.
Your utility will continue to own and operate the transmission and distribution system. All repairs during a black-out and on-going maintenance will be provided by your local utility regardless of whether or not you are a Direct Energy Business customer. If you have a power or gas outage/emergency, please contact your local utility.