— Americans feel they have about as little choice in their electric service as they do in their taxes —

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2018-- Eighty-nine percent of U.S. residents support having the ability to choose their electric service provider, according to a study released today by NRG and Quadrant Strategies. The data show that electric service provider choice makes Americans happy. Yet, nearly 80% of the U.S. feels they have limited or no choice in their electric service provider; and most feel like they have less choice in their electric service than they do in their cable providers.

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FIGURE 1: How much do you support/oppose having the ability to choose your electric service provider in your area? Showing US Gen Pop (Graphic: Business Wire)

“In the most important services people buy, consumers have a choice on who they buy from; but in many states, electricity – a product that powers life as we know it – consumers are stuck with no choice on who to do business with and the technology is the same as it was back in the 20th century,” says Elizabeth Killinger, President, NRG Retail. “The results from the research aren’t surprising - Americans clearly prefer choice.”

To understand how people think about their electric service and options, NRG and Quadrant Strategies surveyed 1,000 people in the U.S. General Population, mapped to census demographic data.

According to the research choice could be positive as 70% of U.S. respondents think increased choice in electric service would have an impact on the deployment of innovative energy technologies.

Americans overwhelmingly support the ability to choose their electric service provider. Eighty-nine percent of Americans support this ability to choose, figure 1.

The results are clear: around 80% of Americans feel they have limited or no choice in their electric service options, figure 2.

Americans are happier with their cable provider options – and every other category surveyed – than their electric service choices, figure 3.

Americans feel they have about as little choice in their electric service as they do in their taxes, figure 4.

Consumers in states with the ability to choose their electric service provider are markedly happier than those in states without choice, figure 5.

About NRG

At NRG, we’re redefining power by putting customers at the center of everything we do. We create value by generating electricity and serving nearly 3 million residential and commercial customers through our portfolio of retail electricity brands. A Fortune 500 company, NRG delivers customer-focused solutions for managing electricity, while enhancing energy choice and working towards a sustainable energy future. More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on Facebook, LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @nrgenergy, @nrginsight.

About Quadrant Strategies

Quadrant Strategies is a full-service market research firm, based in Washington, DC. Quadrant works with some of the world’s most prominent brands on their key issues, helping those companies understand how people think, what shapes their habits and choices, and what messages and actions move them. Quadrant's polling has been featured in major news publications, including the Wall Street Journal, CBS News, and Fast Company.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181204005317/en/

Source: NRG

Marijke Shugrue
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Candice Adams
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