Electric bill $125.00 extra because of *FUEL CHARGE

I use Green Mountian. I do not have a "fuel charge" but the wind power rates are bloody expensive as is. The only real differance between the two is that I don't give money to Reliant - and that's a gooooood feeling.

 

That's the fuel factor charge. Everyone gets charged for it, but it may not show up on your bill as a line item... Think about it this way... Since the power plants you're getting your power from in Texas are typically natural gas burning plants or some other variety of oil burning plants (rather than coal or nuclear), the plants have to purchase that gas/oil to keep the plants running. Then they pass on that cost (pretty high recently) to the electricity providers (TXU, Reliant, DE, etc.). The providers don't eat that... they have to pass it on to consumers. That's why you're hearing about fuel factor increases and all the providers raising rates... it's not to gouge the consumer.

I think there's a big misconception about Green Mountain and other renewable energy providers... Just because you buy your power from Green Mountain doesn't mean that your own house is supplied exclusively by wind generated power. You get the same electricity everyone else on the grid gets... (can you imagine having your own separate power lines that only supply you with green power? any idea how expensive it would be or how much that would mess up the infrastructure if you switched away to another provider again?) What's really happening is that you're just paying Green Mountain a bit more to purchase some wind generated power and then have them dump it into the grid. It's a good cause, don't get me wrong... that's why other providers are starting to offer green products also.

 

Everyone in Houston should switch from Reliant. They are required by law to be the most expensive power in Houston due to the Power to Choose.

Every "non-green" energy provider should beat their prices from 4 - 15%.

Be careful if you switch, though, as several companies are nortorious for jacking up fees and costs after a year.

Stick with one of the big companies and it should save you about 5% over the year on your energy bill.

Heck...all the power lines and everything are still owned and run by Centerpoint, your just buying the energy itself from someone.

 

Any suggestions? Not just from Supermac34 but from anyone? How have poeple liked TXU? or Green Mountain? How an you find out if you can even switch in your area?

 

I had TXU in Dallas and hated it. A 3 bedroom apartment in October that never turned the AC on was around 200 a month. Crazyness.

 

Centerpoint is a good choice for Houston area customers.

 

Like Reliant in Houston, TXU in Dallas is required to have more expensive prices than the competition to encourage switching. Reliant is cheaper in Dallas than TXU.

 

I have TXU in Houston. Should I be worried??

 

I didn't like them and switched to Centerpoint.

 

Can someone explain the whole TXU and Reliant having to be more expensive thing? Gracias.

 

Because they monopolized for so long? Kind of like SBC is more expensive then the others? All I know is my carrier is less expensive and their support doesn't suck ass like Reliant's.

 

If a certain company in Texas was the monopoly a few years ago in a particular area, they are required to be the most expensive supplier in that area now to encourage competition.

Now Reliant can go to other markets and beat the monopoly there, but since they are the monopoly in Houston, they have to have the highest price here to allow competitors to compete.

Since TXU was the monopoly in Dallas, they have to have the highest price in Dallas, but can undercut Reliant in Houston.

www.powertochoose.org

Reliant does not have to compete with specialty power providers,however, such as Green Mountain. Reliant may have lower prices than "green energy" companies since they are selling a "different product."

Also: Be very careful of some of the smaller companies. They might beat the price in the short run, but change their pricing down the road.

One good example is Gexa energy company...they claim to be the lowest price in Houston...but go read the Better Business Bureau complaints about them. I wouldn't think it would be worth the potential complaints.

 

Centerpoint charged my gf an extra $30 for the "fuel charge". They usually pay about $40/month but this month its $84!!!!!

Ludacris!!!!!!

 

Ampro Energy is pretty good.

 

I recommend this as well, however two weeks ago I tried to switch to Direct Energy but they stopped taking new customers because they had to revise their rates...This is due to the rising gas costs, in theory...I look for low flat monthly rate (charge you $XX whether you use power or not) and a low $/kwh...

However, TXU sucks...TXU doesn't have any gas plants and they are stilll able (in Dallas) to raise their rates 24% due to a law stating as gas prices rise they can raise rates...Total BS!!!

 

Centerpoint/Entex is gas. They also own the power lines and transmit the electricity, but they are not a Retail Electric Provider (like Reliant, TXU, Green Mountain, Gexa, Direct Energy, etc.) yet.

 

I have Gexa Energy.. Lowest energy cost in all of Houston.

also the best part of it is you get 2 continental airline miles for every 1 dollar you spend your your electricity bill...

Hell your going to spend money anyways mights as well get something for it.

1st monthly bill was lower and I got 400 airline miles