Help In Choosing Electricity Provider (Dallas, Plano: apartment, co-op, home)

[fatcat220]

Hi All. My wife and I have recently moved here from Northern California. We just bought a home in Northern Plano. We have a choice of 16 power companies to supply our electricity, most offering multiple plans (variable vs. fixed pricing, 0 - 36 months terms, green vs. brown energy). This is too much for my tiny head. I've spent a lot of time on the "Texas Electric Choice" WEB site, but what I can't figure out is how reputable any of the companies are when it comes to service and their pricing schemes. Can anybody help me make an informed choice? Help! Thanks.

[socketz]

Oh man, and don't try calling one of those 1-800 numbers to talk about various plans because it will switch you overseas to someone reading a script.

It was frustrating. The contracts are very complicated when it comes to paying for electrons and the value added services associated with getting those electrons onto a wire that goes into your house. Why something so simple had to become orders of magnitude more complicated is beyond me.

I say we turn em all back into municipals.

[GoPadge]

I'd also consider CoServ, (http://www.coserv.com/) the old Denton Electric Co-op. They service much of Plano, and have rates that tend to run a penny or two below everyone at http://www.powertochoose.org/, plus being a co-op they're not in it for the money.

[Dennis_F]

Anyone have any experience with using a "green energy" provider? From what I can tell, there are some who are only a couple of cents more than the other companies out there, which I think is worth it. However, I don't know if there's any kind of trade-off (besides price) for using one of these green companies.

[socketz]

It looks like where I'm moving (75071) 'Gexa' is the cheapest electron provider on the block (Co-Serv was not listed)

http://www.gexaenergy.com/en/residential/moving.aspx (broken link)

.103/kWh

Anyone heard of these guys ?

My bills are so cheap here in the Apartment that it hasn't been worth changing over. I switched plans with TXU and that was actually painful because the person on the phone had a thick accent and was reading from a script.

[fatcat220]

Originally Posted by GoPadge

I'd also consider CoServ, (http://www.coserv.com/) the old Denton Electric Co-op. They service much of Plano, and have rates that tend to run a penny or two below everyone at http://www.powertochoose.org/, plus being a co-op they're not in it for the money.

Thanks for the tip, but it doesn't look like they cover my 75024 zip code, but I'll call them tomorrow and double check. I like the idea of a co-op vs. a standard power company.

[fatcat220]

Hi, can anybody give me any guidance on the question of Variable vs. fix rates? It seems that the charge per kWh would be cheapest during the time that we use the least amount of energy and go up as my consumption goes up. I don't know if I like this formula, unless cost change is not huge during the summer. Thanks.

[cdelena]

Originally Posted by socketz

Anyone heard of these guys ?

I tried to use them when Reliant changed my plan but Gexa never responded. I went with Dynowatt and am just waiting for my Texas property to sell so I can quit the Texas electricity foolishness.

[GoPadge]

Originally Posted by socketz

It looks like where I'm moving (75071) 'Gexa' is the cheapest electron provider on the block (Co-Serv was not listed)

Co-Serv's not listed on the http://www.powertochoose.org/ website.

Welcome to the Texas Electric Choice website, where you can choose the Retail Electric Provider that's right for you.

Co-Serv's not a retail provider.

[KBilly]

Originally Posted by fatcat220

Hi, can anybody give me any guidance on the question of Variable vs. fix rates? It seems that the charge per kWh would be cheapest during the time that we use the least amount of energy and go up as my consumption goes up. I don't know if I like this formula, unless cost change is not huge during the summer. Thanks.

Variable rates vary based on the cost of electrical generation per month (natural gas cost is the primary factor in that). It has nothing to do with the time of day you consume it. So, you take a gamble that gas won't rise drastically. And that is a good gamble right now.

They cannot measure that minute or hourly detail yet, but TXU is installing meters now in east/central Dallas that will, in future, enable them to do that -- if allowed.