Is Vista Energy Really PG&E?
Vista Energy Marketing is NOT a part of PG&E. This is a misconception and has led to many false internet rumors about Vista Energy being a scam. Not being a part of PG&E does not make a natural gas supplier a phony enterprise. Vista Energy is a third party supplier of natural gas, approved by PG&E to participate in the Core Gas Aggregation Program.
What Is The Difference Between Vista Energy And PG&E?
There is a distinct difference between Vista Energy Marketing and Pacific Gas & Electric. Vista Energy Marketing is a third party provider. If you are currently buying your gas from PG&E, then you have the option of selecting the service of a third party natural gas provider. Due to deregulation, it is possible for Vista Energy Marketing to directly supply you with gas. It is a part of the Core Gas Aggregation Program that is run by PG&E.
This program was initiated by PG&E to allow third party providers to supply gas to the homes of consumers through their pipeline. There was a time when the transportation cost of gas was bundled as one bulk charge. As a direct result of deregulation, the transportation charges are now separate. This unfortunately leads many consumers to believe that Vista Energy is unfairly charging them, but Vista Energy does not receive any amount of the transportation fee.
The role of third party providers is to supply consumers with competitively priced natural gas, while PG&E will continue to charge you the same transportation fee as before.
What Changes Will There Be To My Bill If I Switch To Vista Energy?
The bill that you are paying will continue to come from PG&E. The only change is that Vista Energy will appear as the 3rd party gas supplier on the final page of your bill. PG&E will not charge you extra for switching over to Vista Energy.
There will be a franchise fee added to the PG&E portion of the bill. It is important for you to note that the franchise fee is NOT an extra charge for the consumers buying their gas from Vista Energy. It is a part of the PG&E procurement charge and is collected under Gas Schedule G-SUR.
Contrary to common belief, you will not be billed twice for natural gas when you switch over to Vista Energy. What you are basically paying for is the transportation fee that PG&E will still charge to consumers who are using a third party supplier. It is worth noting that a significant portion of your monthly bill is constituted by the gas transportation fee. When PG&E was your sole natural gas provider, the transportation charge was bundled into one fee. In other words, you would be paying the same fee regardless of which provider you choose.
Who Is The Person Knocking At My Door?
Under the laws of deregulation, third party natural gas providers have the liberty to advertise and promote their offers to customers door-to-door. Consumers are within their right to be leery of anyone coming to their front door, but if it is a representative of Vista Energy Marketing, they will be clearly identifiable as our sales professionals and intend to inform you about our range of services related to natural gas supply.
How Can I Confirm That The Person At My Door Is From Vista Energy?
Vista Energy professionals are always dressed in their company uniform when reaching out to potential clients. The dress code for a Vista Energy Marketing employee is a cap and a shirt that is clearly marked with the company logo. Our employees are also provided with an identification badge that potential clients can easily verify. This attire does not, and is not meant to, resemble that of PG&E. As a matter of fact, Vista Energy Marketing makes it a priority to ensure that there is minimal resemblance between the two sets of clothing.
How Do I Know That Vista Energy Will Save Me Money?
Vista Energy Marketing is a third party natural gas distributor. Hence, the gas prices that we set are different from the ones that are offered at state utility companies. Vista Energy offers fixed price products that are intended to relieve you from the uncertainty that is associated with the utility gas rate. We also reserve a portion of your gas purchase price to purchase energy REC’s on behalf of our customers. This enables us to provide our valued customers with natural gas at a lower price. However, your usage is what will determine your specific bill. Conserving your hot water usage, using energy efficient bulbs, and minimizing heating and cooling in your home when you don’t need it are all ways you can control your energy bills. We have done what we can on our end to keep prices low, and the rest is up to you.
What Fees Are Associated With Signing Up With Vista Energy?
Some of our products do not have any fees associated with them. Other products can have a monthly fee ranging from $0.05 to $0.16 per day. These fees are charged to offset some of the operational costs that we incur while operating within the PG&E framework.