By GREG CORNETT
By now you’ve heard the news that Rhode Island Energy (RIE) is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE:PPL) family of companies and will be replaced by National Grid. You’re probably wondering what that means, what changes to expect, and how it might impact you and your neighbors. Big things are happening at RIE, but our commitment to Rhode Island is only getting stronger.
On August 19, we will launch new customer and labor management systems. This is a major milestone and will bring changes for customers, such as our website, our billing design, and the introduction of our expanded, local customer service team. At its core, RIE remains your local energy company, headquartered in Providence.
Much will not change. Key values at RIE will be stronger than ever. We will continue to be a customer-focused company that provides safe and reliable energy solutions to nearly 800,000 of our neighbors. Although our name is relatively new, our company’s roots stretch back more than a century to the Narragansett Electric Company, and we are proud of our heritage of serving Rhode Island. We are committed to the Ocean State.
We are part of Rhode Island from Westerly to Woonsocket and from Burrillville to Little Compton. Our 1,300 local team members are your neighbors, friends and family. They will continue to provide safe and reliable gas and electric service throughout Rhode Island. In 2023 alone, these dedicated employees delivered the best power reliability and gas response of any energy company in the state’s history.
This transition has given RIE an opportunity to review how we do things. From our website to the design of our bills to our communications, customers will see improvements. The new RIE website (www.RIEnergy.com) will give you a more streamlined experience. For example, customers can now quickly see where to make a payment, report an outage, or start and stop service. You can manage communication preferences for your account, billing, and stoArm-related notifications. The new RIE website is your one-stop shop to learn more about the changes and a place you can rely on when you need to stay up to date on storm response activities. It’s important to note that customers will not pay for these changes.
The team at RIE has put a lot of thought into how we can better serve our customers. This thinking is also reflected in a new invoice design. We have visually improved our invoices and worked to ensure that they provide useful information to our customers. Fees are clearly broken down, with the payment amount and due dates more prominently highlighted. And we have improved the way you can contact us, making it convenient to just call one number. This information is easy to find on our website and is shared via letter, email, invoice and other RIE platforms.
As a RIE customer, we must ask you to take a few simple steps. First, plan to update your account password on August 19th. As our billing system is changing, it is important that each customer reviews their billing settings so that payment processing continues as expected. Customers who pay online should log in and see what changes apply to them. You will receive personalized instructions on the website. However, from August 15th to August 19th, our main website and contact center will be unavailable for business transactions. During this time, our microsite (www.RIEnergy.com/changes) will be available, our social media channels will be active, and our emergency numbers will be staffed to promptly respond to customer calls.
Throughout the rollout process, RIE will communicate and interact with customers through direct mail, advertising, webinars and through a new local contact center with RIE personnel. We are here to support you through this transition and handle any service requests. Our contact center is open daily from 8am to 7pm and is available 24/7 for gas or electricity emergencies.
The successful implementation of the new customer and work management systems is a major undertaking that touches every aspect of our business. The extraordinarily complex change will have no impact on rates and will be guided by our customer focus every step of the way.
We care deeply about Rhode Island and its people. Our mission begins with safety and reliability, but our commitment goes beyond providing essential energy services. We help our communities grow and thrive every day.
Editor’s note: Greg Cornett is president of Rhode Island Energy.
