Any idea about Riverway power? (Center: credit card, house, utilities)

[johnsmith]

I am currently using Spark energy as provider. The contract will end soon. I am considering to swicth to riverway power. That company is good at reputation?

[Wysiwyg]

Ha! my contract ends this week and I went with Riverway without knowing much about them. They have the lowest in my area at 12cents.
Is there really a difference who collects your money?

[tstone]

Many electric companies seem to be popping up overnight and have no reputation yet. This is scaring a lot of folks off into going with the more expensive companies they see on TV. I've been playing this game for awhile, taking risks and have never had a problem.

First thing, read the contract to make sure there aren't any below-minimum usage fees or other weasel words to drain your wallet. This is more common than you think. Then call the customer service line and see if you can actually reach someone quickly. Ask some BS questions about the service that are in the online FAQ and see if they answer correctly. Then sign up online. E-billing is usually cheaper (another thing that scares people off). If the electric company's website is ****, the company is likely also ****. If it's good, use a credit card, not your bank acct. Used that method multiple times and never had a problem.

The only problems I have had were with the meter readers.

[glitterik]

I too would like info on Riverway, as I signed up with Riverway for my house and my guest house. I gots rates of $.11 and $.118. (BTW, if you move you can break your contract with your high priced (TXU, Reliant) provider with no penalties.)

[Mr. Football]

Go with whoever's cheapest. They're all just front-end billing agencies. The actual electricity is still produced, delivered and serviced by the same people (Centerpoint). If you can lock in for 12 months at 11 cents, do it.

[johnsmith]

Originally Posted by Mr. Football

Go with whoever's cheapest. They're all just front-end billing agencies. The actual electricity is still produced, delivered and serviced by the same people (Centerpoint). If you can lock in for 12 months at 11 cents, do it.

I agree with you. Lock the price as low as possible, since I read the news that they are talking about the average fee for electricity will be increased. Just like oil price!!!

[tstone]

I see 11 cents is hard to come by nowadays. I signed up for this 11.0 rate not long ago through "National Power Co." From Mar/Apr '08-Mar/Apr '09. Rates haven't been that low since just before de-regulation started, but the catch was a $300 cancellation fee!!! I don't plan on going anywhere for at least through the end of 2010.

Spark was my biller last year and the cheapest at the time, but it appears that is no longer the case. Don't know what happened. I will say Spark is definitely reliable.

[tester21]

hey guys let me just tell you that this is a ripoff. On Feb 12, 2008 I signed up for Riverway Power at 10.5 for 12 months. First the customer service was horrible, then it took me 5 calls to confrim my credit. After about 15 days from the start of my contract they sent me an email saying that gas prices have gone up so they can't honor my contract and I have 45 days to find someone new or resign at 12.5. Now they don't answer their customer service line. I will be going to PUC TX for a complaint. I used spark last year and they are very reliable.

[predatorprey]

I'd suggest checking out gexa energy. They been reliable and their customer service has improved greatly since I first switched 2 years ago.

According to Power to Choose they are cheaper than riverway power.

[nehag]

We didn't know there are many companies supplying electricity...obviously we are new to the area :-( (where we came from, there's only one company for gas, for electric supply, water, etc)

So, is this the same for other utilities? (I know it's kind of dumb question!)