Both deals are far cheaper than BGE's standard price and would save the typical household more than $10 a month, on average. Unlike many plans, neither comes with an early-termination fee. So if somebody comes in with an even better rate, you can switch with no penalty.
Of course, you'll need to pay attention when these plans roll over to make sure the companies don't stick you with a disadvantageous extension.
For everybody — those shopping for the first time and those checking rollover deals — a piece of advice: Mark the Office of People's Counsel's website in your browser favorites (opc.state.md.us). Click on the right side of the home page, where it says "Information about Electricity and Natural Gas Suppliers." At the bottom of that page, click on "pricing information for Electric Suppliers," where you'll get a list of all the current offers.
Deregulation made it possible to shop for electricity the way you shop for gasoline. BGE households have saved hundreds of dollars in recent years by switching. Usually the change can be done online. It's much easier than, for example, changing cable companies.
But as with the cable providers, you need to scan the fine print and pay very close attention to what happens after they've got you in their mitts.
