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Electric Providers

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Mr.Scarface, Mar 5, 2018.

  1. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

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    That time of year (or after 2 years in my case) to renew or switch providers. Question: Has anyone tried to get your current provider to price match a competitor's rate?
     
  2. alexcapone

    alexcapone Contributing Member

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    I recently switched to reliant from Just Energy. Reliant paid my $300 cancellation fee and my monthly bill is expected to go down. May want to try giving them a call to see what they can get you.
     
  3. K LoLo

    K LoLo Member

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    I haven't. I just go on powertochoose and pick the cheapest one.
     
  4. Surfguy

    Surfguy Contributing Member

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    I am in the same boat. I tried PowerToChoose.org. It's a scam how they are stacking the 3.2 cents per kWh (or cheaper rates) at the top of the cheapest search results as, when you drill into the details, they charge monthly usage fees for 500 kWh, 1000 kWh, etc. and they stack those usage charges on top of each other. I'm currently on Discount Power (TX). I think I may just end up signing back up with them again because I'm not seeing any deals that stand out to me. They are offering me their existing customer 5.4 cents if I go over 1000 kWh...which seems about right (it's basically an average they arrive at...in which they credit you $65 if you go over 1000 kWh). It's rare I am under 1000 kWh a month but it happens occasionally. It's almost better to just leave all the house lights and keep usage up in the winter time to draw extra power because they charge you much more if you are under 1000 kWH. The only issue is the prices do seem to go up a little when you are an existing customer doing a re-up with the same company. I used to switch to Amigo Energy and then back again every year or two. I did that several times because the new customer plans were the best deals. But, I'm not seeing as good a deal from Amigo for new customers this time around. I hate trying to weed through all the fine details on powertochoose.org . I'm not seeing anything great this time around. I'm kind of pissed. Anyway, you might give Discount Power a look as a new customer (albeit I'm not sure where you live).
     
    #4 Surfguy, Mar 6, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2018
  5. Bäumer

    Bäumer Contributing Member

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    Check out mytruecost.com (CenterPoint run) if you are in the Houston area. Powertochoose.com is run by ERCOT and serves most of Texas. Personally I prefer the interface of True Cost over Power To Choose. I feel like it shows the hidden fees a little more explicitly and its easier to compare and filter through the providers/plans. You can enter your meter data on mytruecost.com and it will import your usage and give you more a relatively accurate bill estimate.
     
    srrm and LonghornFan like this.
  6. Ziggy

    Ziggy QUEEN ANON

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    Electric Slide is cheap.
     
  7. BrieflySpeaking

    BrieflySpeaking Contributing Member

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    just live in the dark
     
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  8. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Contributing Member

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    I've done this as a small business customer, and it works because you talk to an actual salesman. I don't know how much traction you'd get as a residential customer talking with a CSR though.

    I'm in the industry, and I concur with this advice. Retailers game powertochoose with impunity and ERCOT won't change it. I used to tell people to use it but beware and read the fine print. But, honestly I think CenterPoint has done a good job of creating an engine that does not incentivize tricks. My complaint about it is that it puts too much emphasis on price and customer reviews. There are niche products that could be great for a person and they'd never know about it because the website leads them by the nose regarding what they "should" value. But, if you have a pretty mainstream use and what you want is to spend no longer than 15 minutes choosing a plan and the thing you worry about most is some slick gimmick screwing you over, then I recommend mytruecost. I also recommend using the feature of applying your own meter data because it can help you find the best bill and not just the best rate.
     
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  9. Sajan

    Sajan Member

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    Yup. This site is awesome. I am in the final months of a 3 year contract with champion. It was locked in at 9.5c. Didn't have to mess with this stuff for 3 years..

    powertochoose is too gimmicky. so many companies. so many plans. so much fine print in terms of minimum usage / average price.
     
  10. Buck Turgidson

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    Ernest Givens disagrees.
     
  11. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    I tried infinite energy. . . . tested on a 3 month contract
    it wass pretty good . .. about to reup

    Rocket River
     
  12. Poloshirtbandit

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  13. clutch citizen

    clutch citizen Contributing Member

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    In the market for a new provider. I came across a site called comparepower.com

    Found a plan I liked from their site by Cirro Energy, but it’s making me sign up through comparepower.com. I don’t trust it 100%. Was seeing if anyone here had any experiences with comparepower. Or if anyone has any other recommendations. My household usage is about 400-600 kWh per month half the year, the other half of the year is about 1,500-1,700 kWh per month. Thanks in advance
     
  14. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    Has anyone here tried Griddy? Would appreciate your comments.
     
  15. Sajan

    Sajan Member

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    biblestudyMENONLY
    21 points·2 days ago
    What's the deal with griddy. I'm out of the loop

    Starkeshia
    34 points·2 days ago
    Wholesale electricity prices spiked during the recent heat wave. Griddy customers pay the wholesale rate which translated to $9 per kWh at peak times. Lots of screenshots (deleted by the moderators!) posted of people with electricity bills over $100 for a single day. One guy was even trying to figure out how to disconnect from the grid and run his backup generator instead.
     
  16. Poloshirtbandit

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    Mytruecost is discontinued and awesomepower isn't the same. Does anyone have similar sites to recommend?
     
  17. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

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    I used powertochoose.org and 9.3 (1000kwh) and 9.1 (2000kwh) fixed from Gexa last July on a 2 year contract. Problem is now that the rates are higher this summer.
     
  18. Poloshirtbandit

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    Yeah I found a few ok rates but they are 3 year contracts and I always get nervous that I'm overlooking some fine print and will get locked into a bad deal. Our average usage is just under 1000.
     
  19. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    Yea. I try not to go more than 12 months.

    I was with Infinite Energy but evidently they sold out to Veteran Energy

    Rocket River
     
  20. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    Why is gas a monopoly
     

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