1-Star Review for Energy Locals
Energy Locals has great customer service, but their pricing structure is borderline a scam. I was paying hundreds of dollars more per month compared to other providers due to hidden demand charges, high daily supply charges, and an unnecessary membership fee.
The Problems with Energy Locals:
1. Scammy Demand Charges – $147.09 Extra on Top of Other Fees
They charge a daily fee based on the highest power usage at any moment in the month.
Even if I only hit high usage once, I was forced to pay an extra charge every day for the rest of the month.
In January 2025, I hit 13 kW once, and that locked in a charge of $147.09 for the entire month—on top of my other electricity fees.
This charge changes each month, but it’s always expensive—and no other provider has such an unfair system.
2. Unnecessary Membership Fee – $21.49 Per Month ($257.88 Per Year)
I was forced to pay $21.49 per month just to be a customer, which is hundreds of dollars a year wasted before even using electricity.
Most other providers don’t charge a membership fee at all.
3. Overpriced Daily Supply Charge – $38.75 Per Month
Energy Locals charged $1.25 per day, adding $38.75 per month to my bill.
This was in addition to peak, off-peak, and controlled load charges.
Again, most other providers charge much less for daily supply costs.
4. Terrible Solar Feed-in Tariff – 1c/kWh
They only pay 1c/kWh for exported solar, while other providers offer up to 7c/kWh.
This meant I was getting almost nothing for my excess solar power—a terrible deal for solar owners.
Proof Attached
I’ve attached a screenshot of my actual bill to prove these outrageous charges. These amounts change each month, but this is just one example of what I was charged.
Final Verdict – Avoid Energy Locals
Energy Locals looks cheap at first, but their hidden costs make them one of the most expensive providers. Their customer service is good, but that doesn’t make up for their scammy demand charges, high supply fees, and unnecessary membership costs.
I switched to another provider and now save hundreds of dollars every month.
