Low Natural Gas prices gave some options including a plan that tied the electrical generation charge to the spot price of Natural Gas in the area.
During some peak consumption times, spot prices of Gas and Energy spiked. Fly by night companies that did not own generation but was buying power on a futures exchange and then couldn't cover the spike of price and high demand folded leaving customers without a contract and paying spot prices or exceeding high prices due to the timing of entering the market for a new contract.
caveat emptor
Know who you are doing business with and read the whole contract. Even then, some companies depend on bankruptcy protection as their risk management plan.
If Resident Power folds I can just go back to buying my power from Public Service of New Hampshire. It is not much of a difference.