Cirro Energy
ByCirro Energy Appears To Be The Lowest
Many people have called me quoting Cirro Energy who offers what seems to be a low fixed rate for 12 months and 24 months. After examining the terms of service I found that the rate is a variable rate. What ends up happening is a customer signs a contract that locks them into the rate for 12 or 24 months and they have no guarantee what the rate will do. This protects Cirro Energy if the rate goes up or down but not the customer. Cirro still makes their retail margin on the rate but the customer cannot get out of the contract without penalty if the rate were to go up. The purpose of signing a contract is to lock in for a period of time against future electric rate price volatility. By Cirro offering a variable rate for a term you must sign and lock into I believe they may be knowingly or unknowingly confusing the customer to thinking they are signing into a fixed rate. Stay away from this rate product as it is not a fixed rate and Cirro can change the rate without notice at any time.
I have added a company in the chart below to compare with Cirro Energy called Startex Power. They have a very low fixed electric rate in comparison with some of the other retail electric providers. You will do much better to lock in at this low fixed rate then to get in on a variable rate that can go up on you. If you would like to participate in a low variable rate Startex offers one that has a promo rate the first month in the 9 cent range and then follows the natural gas and Texas spot price market after that. Historically you would pay about 12 – 12.5 cents on their variable rate but you are not locked into a contract. I would only recommend this rate product for those who don’t want to be locked into a contract. Otherwise, you should get on a fixed rate product for a 12 or 24 month term with Startex.
| Retail Electric Provider | Product Name | 1000 kWh | 1500 kWh | Fixed or Variable | Term | |
| Startex Power | Star Seasonal Saver 1 Year Plan | 11.1 | 11.1 | Fixed | 12 | |
| Startex Power | Star "Fall Frenzy" 8 Month Plan | 10.4 | 10.4 | Fixed | 8 | |
| Cirro Energy | Smart PassSM 12 | 10.9 | 10.8 | Variable | 12 | |
| Cirro Energy | Smart SaverSM 24 | 12.2 | 12.2 | Variable | 24 |
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5 Comments
August 5th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
[...] Never sign a term commitment for a variable rate. A customer called us the other day and mentioned Cirro Energy had done this very thing to him and had raised his rate over 30% in one month. He was under the [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I, unfortunately, just now realized I am on Cirro’s variable 12 month plan. I am six months into it. I was on their fixed rate plan before and thought I was renewing for the same plan. I have the option of renewing for another 12 months on their current 12 month fixed rate plan called Smart Lock 12. Is this a good plan?
Thank you.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
I believe we are also on the Cirro “fixed” plan. Also, we live in Katy and are paying $40 to Centerpoint for distribution (?). Luckily our rate has not gone up, but I don’t recommend this company.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I know I want to save money on my electric, so when the info came in the mail I thought maybe? But after reading the few comments I will stay with TU electric and keep looking for a good alternative. Thanks for sharing your experience and comments.
March 12th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
[...] market are with Ignite Energy, Green Mountain Energy, Zurvita Energy, Affordable Energy, and Cirro Energy. New Age Power Brokers is a slightly different take as they are more of an affiliate program than [...]