Best Electricity Rates in Rochester 2026: RG&E Supply Rate & ESCO Shopping Guide
Rochester households can shop their electricity supply, and in 2026 the gap between the cheapest competitive offers and the market average is wide enough to matter. Independent ESCO rates in the RG&E service area currently start around 9¢/kWh, while the average across the roughly 33 plans on the market sits near 14.2¢/kWh. RG&E’s own supply price, meanwhile, floats month to month. This guide explains how electricity choice works in Rochester, what RG&E charges, and how to shop ESCOs without falling into a variable-rate trap.
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How electricity choice works in Rochester
Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E), an Avangrid utility, delivers power across Monroe County and much of central and western New York. New York’s retail market lets you buy the supply portion of your service from an independent Energy Service Company, or ESCO, while RG&E continues to own the wires, read your meter, restore outages, and bill you. Choosing an ESCO never changes your reliability or your line crew — only the generation price.
If you don’t shop, RG&E supplies your power at its default rate, which is passed through at cost and changes monthly based on wholesale market conditions. That monthly variability is exactly why some shoppers prefer to lock a fixed ESCO rate.
RG&E delivery charges and supply rate
Your RG&E bill splits into delivery and supply. The residential delivery charge is roughly a $23 monthly basic service charge plus about 8.5¢/kWh, and you pay that no matter who supplies your electricity. The supply rate — the part you can shop — varies month to month under RG&E’s default service. Because RG&E’s supply floats, your total bill can swing with the seasons even if your usage is steady.
The supply rate is the number to compare against ESCO offers. New York doesn’t publish a single fixed “Price to Compare” the way Ohio does, so you’ll want to pull your most recent RG&E supply rate off your bill before you shop.
Shopping ESCOs in the RG&E area
ESCO rates in Rochester span a large range. As of mid-2026, the lowest fixed offers begin near 9.01¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh of usage, while the average of the ~33 available plans is about 14.19¢/kWh. That spread — more than 5¢/kWh between the cheapest and the average — is the entire argument for shopping carefully rather than enrolling in the first offer a door-to-door rep pitches.
When comparing ESCOs, weigh:
- Fixed vs. variable. A fixed rate holds for the contract term; a variable rate can reset monthly at the ESCO’s discretion. Many of the worst New York shopping experiences come from low teaser variable rates that spike after a billing cycle or two.
- Contract term and ETF. Confirm the length and any early termination fee before enrolling.
- Add-ons. Some ESCOs bundle renewable energy certificates or “green” supply; decide whether that’s worth a premium to you.
New York’s PSC maintains the “Power to Choose” shopping portal where you can review offers. Because ESCO rates are not regulated by the PSC, the burden is on you to read the terms.
Why fixed rates make sense in 2026
With RG&E’s default supply floating monthly and summer demand pushing wholesale prices up, a fixed ESCO rate below your current RG&E supply price does two things: it locks in a known generation cost and removes the month-to-month uncertainty. A fixed plan starting near 9¢/kWh, for example, would sit well under the ~14¢ market average and protect you through the volatile summer months. The trade-off is the early termination fee if you move or want to switch again before the term ends.
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How to switch electricity suppliers in Rochester
- Pull your current RG&E supply rate and monthly usage from a recent bill.
- Compare ESCO offers on the NY Power to Choose portal or a comparison tool, filtering for fixed-rate plans below your RG&E supply price.
- Read the contract: term length, whether the rate is fixed or variable, and the early termination fee.
- Enroll with your chosen ESCO using your RG&E account number.
- RG&E keeps delivering your power and billing you; the supply line switches to your ESCO, typically within one to two billing cycles.
Frequently asked questions
Who delivers my power if I choose an ESCO? RG&E. It always owns the wires, reads your meter, and restores outages regardless of your supplier.
What’s the cheapest electricity rate in Rochester right now? Fixed ESCO offers start around 9¢/kWh at 1,000 kWh usage, versus a market average near 14.2¢/kWh.
Does RG&E have a fixed Price to Compare? No. Unlike some states, RG&E’s default supply rate floats month to month, so check your latest bill for the current number before shopping.
Are ESCO rates regulated? No. New York ESCO prices are not set or capped by the PSC, so you must read the terms — especially on variable-rate plans.
Will switching interrupt my service? No. The switch is administrative; your power never goes off and the grid is unchanged.
Should I pick fixed or variable? For most households in 2026, fixed is safer — it locks your rate and avoids the monthly spikes that variable plans can deliver after an introductory period.
Bottom line
Rochester’s competitive market rewards shoppers who do five minutes of homework. With ESCO offers starting near 9¢/kWh against a ~14¢ average and RG&E’s default supply drifting monthly, locking a low fixed rate is the clearest path to a lower, steadier bill — with no change to your reliability or your RG&E delivery service.
Understanding your RG&E bill line by line
To shop effectively, you need to read your RG&E bill correctly. The basic service charge is the fixed monthly fee (~$23) you pay regardless of usage. The delivery charge (~8.5¢/kWh) covers moving power over RG&E’s wires and is the same no matter who supplies you. The supply charge is the only line an ESCO can change — it’s your usage times the supply rate. When an ESCO quotes you a rate, they’re quoting only that supply component, so compare their number directly against the supply rate on your bill, not your total bill amount. A common mistake is comparing an ESCO’s supply-only rate against your all-in per-kWh cost (which includes delivery) and wrongly concluding the ESCO is far cheaper than it is.
Disclaimer: Electricity rates, utility Price to Compare values, and supplier plan terms change frequently and vary by ZIP code and usage. Figures cited reflect publicly reported data as of June 2026 and are for general information only. Always confirm the current rate, term, and fees directly with the provider or your state shopping portal before enrolling. electricitysuppliers.com may earn a commission when you compare plans through our partners.