US: should you fix your energy tariff?

This only applies in the ~18 deregulated states — everywhere else, one regulated utility sets the rate and there’s no fixed/variable choice at all. Where retail choice exists, fixed-rate plans lock your rate for a contract term (commonly 6-24 months); variable-rate plans can change monthly with wholesale prices. Fixed plans protect against price spikes but often carry an early-termination fee; variable plans offer flexibility but real exposure to volatile wholesale pricing, as seen in the sharp 2026 gasoline/electricity price spikes.