Electricity Provider recommendations?

[Titus]

Stuck with a co-op

+1 I'm stuck paying about .11 + a $15/month service fee.

[HudsonHawk]

I use TXU. I have for over a long time. The main reason is average billing. But I also get the perks like the cash back and special offers. Average billing kept me from having an $800 electric bill a couple of years ago before we replaced out AC units.

Just switched to their 100% wind energy plan. Its a bit more expensive but I can shove the noses of my snooty neighbors in it, who rave about their Hybrid saving the planet when their kids have the AC turned way up while leaving the doors open on the house.

[OZMDD]

TXU is too high, IMHO. Checked out a bunch, and the winner for me is Champion Energy, with StarTex being a close second.

I generally have 4-5 months every year with less than 800 kwh, so I prefer a plan that doesn't penalize you for any usage under 1000 kwh, which most of the "cheap" ones do. Thanks to everyone who provided useful input. People's actual experience with the companies is much more valuable to me than the numbers provided by powertochoose.org alone.

[p4R4d0x]

I have Reliant here in Plano. Never had to choose a power provider before I moved here, so I just picked the one that I could do online without talking to anyone, with a month-to-month contract in case it sucked. My plan says this:

Average price 11.1¢ per kWh, based on 2000 kWh, includes the following:

• Energy charge: 7.9¢
• Base charge per month: $0.00

[Rob®]

Average price 11.1¢ per kWh, based on 2000 kWh, includes the following:

• Energy charge: 7.9¢
• Base charge per month: $0.00

How does that work? If the rate is $0.079 KwH, how are they saying the average is more? Variable rate type plan? That could get interesting really quick...

The "average" price TXU gave me for 1000KwH is the $0.11. The actual is the $0.10, which when you add the $5.95 service fee, is $0.11 for 1000KwH. But saying the average is $0.xx, the actual is $0.yy, and the service fee is $0 is..different?

[OZMDD]

There are several fixed fees in your electricity bill (meter charge, service fee, oncor delivery charge, etc) as well as a monthly fee (depending on the provider) in addition to your per-kwh rate. The more you use, the more the flat fees are spread-out, so your price-per-kwh decreases accordingly.

At 1000 khw of use, the Champion plan should run me right around $0.09/kwh, which is a good price, imho. I especially like the fact that there is no "base charge" unless I drop below 500 kwh/month, which would be amazingly low, even for me. I try to ignore the 2000kwh pricing numbers, since I have only hit 2000 one time in the last 4 years (last August.) I'm generally between 700-1100 kwh/mo, except in June, July and August, where its 1400-1500. Not bad for a 36-year-old 1800sf house. Good windows, extra-blown-in insulation, 14-seer AC, gas heat, attic vents,brick veneer and BIG TREES sure make a difference.

[Rob®]

There are several fixed fees in your electricity bill (meter charge, service fee, oncor delivery charge, etc) as well as a monthly fee (depending on the provider) in addition to your per-kwh rate. The more you use, the more the flat fees are spread-out, so your price-per-kwh decreases accordingly.

Right. He quoted there is no base charge a month. They left off the other fees but added them to the average apparently, which TXU doesn't (they just add them after the average advertised rate). My asking was based on not seeing the other fees added into the average quoted price for my plan, so I just assumed that's how they all did it (i.e. I was thinking the average cost was KhW cost + the base fee (none in his case), and the other added fees were added after the fact).

Going by the rate he posted he would pay the same for 2000KwH as I would, despite his rate looking much cheaper up front. But like you, I average no where near that so it's a moot point.

[p4R4d0x]

No idea. I don't know anything about this stuff, but i'm guessing because it's a tiny 1 bedroom that I'm actually paying for, nowhere near 2000kwh. I picked it because it was the lowest number (7.9) and was confused when the first bill came, but never thought about it when I had time to do anything about it.

[Rob®]

You should be under 1000KwH easily. 2000 shouldn't even exist on your meter. Unless this tiny 1 bedroom is a shed with no insulation or door.

We have a small 1600sqft house with high ceilings (30' in most of the house, 9' being the lowest), electric heat/AC, and all kinds of stuff that uses some power when it's off (blu-ray player, TV, receiver, sub, etc). I also work from home 8+ hours a day, so the heat/AC is on a lot longer than it would otherwise be, as well as the fact that I have lights, my computer and monitor, and computer speakers/sub on that entire time as well. We average 1100KwH a month, peak at ~1500 in the coldest/hottest months (the coldest being the highest because of the high ceilings). So yeah, if you're over 1000KwH a month you have some issues. Or you live in a growhouse.

[gabkwong]

Champion Energy has been my exclusive provider for several years. It is more than just $/kwh. Read the fine print of the fees. It can easily increase your final effective $/kwh by 10 to 20%! Also, the rate is seasonal and depends of the price of natural gas at the time you are shopping. If you don't like what you see, check back in a week. The price is like the price at the gas pump that goes up and down all the time.

[p4R4d0x]

You should be under 1000KwH easily. 2000 shouldn't even exist on your meter. Unless this tiny 1 bedroom is a shed with no insulation or door.

Just checked, every month but one has been 250-400