The Texas Public Utility Commission has a new discount electric rate program available that has been reinitiated starting in January 2008 that allows Texas residential electric customers to receive a 12% discount on their current electric rate. The program is only available to those who qualify and certain criteria must be followed to make sure the initial qualification goes through succesfully so that you get the anticipated discount. For instance, if you have signed up with a Texas electric provider using a different name, social security number, mailing address, or electric service address that differs what you have given the department of health and human services then you will likely be rejected because of your information not matching what the government has on file for you. In order to make sure the Texas LITE-UP program goes through on the first try you may want to get a copy of your application on file with the HHSC and fill out the LITE-UP application using that same information.
How do I apply for the Texas LITE-UP electric rate discount program?
You must first sign up with a low cost electric provider like Champion Energy or Startex Power. Once you have started service with these Texas electric companies you can begin the process of signing up with LITE-UP. They will require that you provide a current electric bill and two months of proof showing what your income is. To obtain the LITE-UP application you must call them at 1-866-454-8387.
What Type Of Discounts Can I Expect?
You will be discounted during certain historically high energy consumption months. The months that the electric rate discounts will apply will be for May, June, July, August, and September of 2008 and 2009. The discounts will not start until you have been approved and your status has been received by the Texas electric provider.
Who Can Apply For Lite-Up Texas?
You can either show proof that your income is 125% of the federal poverty guideline by submitting your last 2 months of income history to Lite-Up or if you are receiving Medicaid and or food stamps you will automatically qualify.
9 users commented in " Texas Lite-Up Low Income Electric Rate Discount Program "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackWhat if yo’ure stuck with GARLAND ELEC who wont let you switch and refuses to give the reduced rate. My friend is constantly having her power shut off because in her tiny house her bill is $500 a month which is about her entire monthly income, single mom w/ 2 kids.
UNFAIR & she can’t afford to move because they continue to hold her hostage.
When you are dealing with Garland Electric you are actually dealing with the city government who is responsible for maintaining the price of electricity in the area. Many city municipalities actually have cheaper electric rates then in the deregulated areas because the city makes up for it through higher property taxes. In Garland they may be having some trouble as natural gas has risen to a 2 year historical high recently and this has caused electric rates to rise to their historical highs as well. If they have not hedged their energy properly then they may be passing on that issue to the City of Garland in higher electric rates.
I got a letter in the mail stating that because some one in my house hold receives (foodstamps and /or medicaid we may be eligible for a discount. The only catch is the bill has the be in the person’s name that is receiving the medicaid. Well I think it is ridiculous to have this stipulation. We are raising my husbands 15 yr old sister, money coming out of our pocket with no financial assistance and you don’t want to give me a discount because the bill CAN NOT BE IN HER NAME. She is a minor. this is very unfair.
I was wondering if this goes for a Farmers Electric bill also? I am on SSI and Food Stamps. Could you please let me know? Thank You Linda Pluta
If you are on food stamps you automatically qualify. You can either fill out the form on the Lite Up website or wait for them to send you a letter in the mail. Either way the process will take about the same amount of time.
I applied for this program under my husband and myself but my electric company is under my name. Will this effect anything? Also, we do not take food stamps but do have the right income level but my electric company says that they my name has not been flagged to receive benefits for me
thank you
This Program is such a scamer because I applied and for this whole month of june they didnt even give me the discount just because my electric company had a different home phone number and lite up had another one but everything else was the same my name my husbands, my address our socials and I even turned in all the proof of check stubs and they told me they didnt help me because we had our cell phone for our electric company and lite up had our home phone and since the phone numbers didnt match just because of that! how retarted is that right!!!
I have been on the program every year for 3 yrs with no problem but since moving to the DFW area it appears its mass confusion. As though the elec co and lite up can’t work together to make the program productive. I’m not recieving the elec discount when I qualify. I called 2 mo now with them saying they don’t understand why I’m not recieving the discount. If you feel the hassle is worth the 40-50 dollar discount then go for it!
Just wanted to say that I too had some trouble because phone numbers didnt match etc I did get the numbers updated so that lite up texas and my provider matched then I repplied - man was it worth it! $75.00 discount the first month! That sure helped tons! THANKS!
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