Thanks to the Choice Gas Program, you and the other resident in Wyoming can sign up for service with a new natural gas company each April.

As Vista Energy and other third-party natural gas providers compete for your business, you have the power in your hands, because you’re able to select your Wyoming natural gas supplier. No matter which factors impact your decision – price, rewards, customer service, or some combination thereof – what matters is that the choice is yours and yours alone.

The Choice Gas program provides you the opportunity to choose who your supplier is for the natural gas commodity porition of your bill. As a result, you can compare offers from different natural gas suppliers and your utility will still maintain your local natural gas system, read your meters, and mail your bills.

When you select a new natural gas supplier you will see a few changes on your utility energy bill. These changes include billing line items for the supplier you selected and the amount of gas used with the rate you signed up for. For example, if you select Vista Energy Marketing, you will see a billing line item for Vista Energy Marketing and an additional line item for the Commodity Charge at your selected rate.

With this better understanding of the Choice Gas Program in Wyoming, you should also have a deeper perspective on the energy industry as a whole. Because of energy choice, you get to sign up with the third-party energy company you like most, including a great fixed rate and fun features.

What does that mean in practice?

Energy suppliers like Vista Energy purchase natural gas on the energy market, which is how they calculate the natural gas rates you pay. Your current utility manages the energy infrastructure: the lines, poles, meters, pipes, distribution, billing, maintenance, and more. Learn more about how natural gas gets distributed from the utility to your home here.

In short, the energy company buys the product, sells it to you, and contracts with the utility company to get the natural gas to your home. You reap both the benefits of choosing a great energy rate and a stable energy market.

What is the Choice Gas Program?

The Choice Gas Program is your opportunity to select the Wyoming natural gas company you like most. Instead worrying about the varying rate Black Hills Energy might charge each month as your utility company, you can switch to a third-party energy company. These companies compete with each other by offering a range of natural gas plans, services, and amenities, designed to attract your business – but the power lies with you, because you’re the one who makes the choice.

How can I choose a natural gas company in Wyoming?

Each April in Wyoming, the Choice Gas Selection Period provides you 4 different ways you can sign up for a natural gas company:

1. Online (directly with Black Hills Energy)
2. Supplier Submission (directly with the natural gas company you like most)
3. Mailing in a Selection Form (either the one mailed to you or you can download it)
4. Automatic Rollover (you stay with your current company, but without picking a new plan, so your rate might vary)

No matter which option you choose, you must have your account number, control number, and confirmation code for the natural gas company you like in order to sign up.

What happens when I switch to a new natural gas company?

The only thing changing will be a single line item on your bill that shows the energy charge from your new company. That’s where you can view the name of the natural gas supplier, the fixed rate for your natural gas plan, and how much you’re being charged for your energy usage at that rate.

Will choosing a third-party company impact my service?

No, you will not experience an interruption in your natural gas service. Regardless of the natural gas company you select in Wyoming, your current utility will remain your utility company. This means Black Hills will still bring the natural gas to your home, maintain for the natural gas infrastructure, repair any problems, fix any outages, send out bills, take payments and anything else related to your day-to-day natural gas service.

What happens if I choose a multi-year plan?

This is the only circumstance in which you can’t choose a new natural gas company each April. When you sign up for a multi-year plan with a third-party natural gas company, you are locked into that contract for the duration of your term length. This means, if the prices offered during the next Choice Gas Selection Period are lower than your multi-year plan, you cannot change companies. However, if the prices are higher next April, those higher prices won’t impact your current plan.

There is one situation in which you can sign up with a new natural gas company (or new plan on your current company) while still on a multi-year plan: if you move to a new service address in Wyoming. If this happens, you can sign up with a new plan or even a new company when a new Choice Gas Selection Period appears.