Today is August 14 2009 and we have gone out to the power to choose website to check on electricity rates from companies like Champion, Startex, Green Mountain Energy, Spark Energy, TXU, Ambit, Stream, Bounce, Texas Power and Reliant Energy. We checked on some other Texas electricity providers but these energy companies provide a good overall comparison of rates. We have sorted the electricity rates in order from cheapest to most expensive using the pricing available on the Power to Choose website.
Startex Power, Champion, and Green Mountain Energy, are some of the more popular electricity companies we recommend and Startex and Champion are currently offering some of the cheapest available electricity plans in the Dallas Texas area. There are no hidden fees or charges with Startex or Champion. If you use below 500 kWh per month than a $4.95 monthly service fee will kick in with Startex Power but other than that you are going to be good with the top two cheapest Dallas electricity plans in the chart.
This chart above is a historical snapshot of what Dallas residential electricity rates looked like for the month and day of August 14 2009. These charts sometimes help in determining the track record of a Texas electricity companies overall consistent performance in delivering a low cost electricity price to Texas energy consumers. To see a current comparison of our recommended electricity companies in Dallas Texas please click on our Dallas electricity comparison link by clicking here.
Picking The Right Houston Electricity Company, Rate and Plan
What to Know Before Signing up With Just Anyone
We have compiled a list of some of the more popular residential Texas electricity companies and rate plans. If there is a known issue with one of the residential electricity companies we list that concern next to the provider. There are some providers that have blatantly obvious tricks we know of that shows one rate on their website but when receiving your first electricity bill the rate is much higher due to the TDSP charges not being clearly apparent. A note should be made that these Texas electricity providers are usually involved in leaving off the TDSP charge on their advertised rate. We are not sure exactly how many energy companies participate in this practice as well as they change their practices depending on how much heat they are receiving from PUCT complaints. You can read Consumer Energy complaints from some of these providers customers who can explain what exactly can occur when switching to a gimmicky energy company better than we can.
August 7 2009 Residential Houston Electricity Company Comparison, Cheapest to Most Expensive
Understanding Your Houston Residential Electricity Rate
Most electric providers in Texas will bundle the TDSP charges into the energy only rate giving you an all-in rate that can be compared against other Texas electricity companies like TXU Energy and Reliant Energy. We have listed both TXU and Reliant in our comparison chart in order to compare their electricity prices with other Texas electric providers. You will notice that the two largest energy providers in Texas have much higher electricity prices than some of the smaller but good electric companies. Right now Champion Energy and Startex Power are two reputable electricity providers in Texas offering very cheap fixed electricity rate offers. All fees and charges are disclosed with these two companies. With Startex if a customer uses less then 500 kWh hours a month there will be a $4.95 monthly service fee although most Texas electricity consumers use more then this so it shouldn’t be an issue for most customers. A monthly service fee is simply an additional charge many electricity providers have in addition to their electricity price. It is important that a provider disclose this fee upfront rather than hide it in the contract details. We have made these fees obvious in our rate chart so you can make a clear apples to apples comparison of electricity prices in Texas.
Historical Houston Electricity Rate Snapshot for August 7 2009
Since this Houston electricity comparison chart is an update for August 7 2009 it only represents a historical snapshot of what Texas electricity providers were charging on this date. An updated and daily refreshed electricity rate chart is also provided below with some of the cheapest Houston electricity companies. We hope this historical list of Houston energy providers in prices above will keep you informed of how prices move over the course of several months. If you have any questions or comments about one of these Houston electricity companies please feel free to leave a comment below. If you are interested in a no deposit Houston electricity choice please visit our no deposit electricity page.
Current Houston Electricity Rates, Companies, and Plans
Residential Electricity Close to a 3 Year Historical High
The market is way up right now and a question on a lot of peoples mind is if they should sign up on a 12 month fixed rate contract or a longer term such as a 24 or 36 month fixed rate contract. Right now a 24 month and 36 month fixed rate contract is cheaper then a 12 month fixed rate. The reason you get a cheaper rate as you go longer terms is due to a correlation with the natural gas market. Natural gas futures contracts are cheaper as you go out on a longer term. You can verify this by looking at futures contracts for natural gas on one of many commodity broker quote sites. The key to what you should do is in the contract. The reason they give you a cheaper rate is because they believe rates will come down between now and 24 months or 36 months from now. Because the commodities traders expect rates to come down they have a strategy to sell you on a longer term contract at a cheaper price. Many people fall for this but keep this in mind, you would be locking in at the top of the market.
Compare Prices, Save Money:
We recommend signing a 12 month fixed electric rate agreement and trying again next year. We have a comparison chart listed below of multiple electric companies in North Texas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, McKinney and the rest of the Oncor Electric Utility area of Texas. Compare and pick a provider. Some of the links below are discount 12 month rates, cheaper then what the Texas electric companies generally offer. Simply click the provider you want to go with and sign up online. The Texas government will automatically take you off your current electric provider and put you with your new one. You will not need to call your current provider to be taken off as this happens automatically.
July 2008 Texas Electric Rates in North Texas
Find a rate you can be confident about for the next year and try again next year. The market is very high right now so these rates will be much higher then what they looked like last July. The rates are updated as of July 6 2008. Many times the market will go up or down within a few weeks. You may click on the links below and possibly find the company offering a slightly higher or lower electric rate as we move further into the month of July.
Affordable Texas Electricity for residential electric service consumers. Save 30% off of what most Texas energy companies are charging. Learn More
Cheapest recommended residential Texas electric company listed below. Click on the buttons to continue. If you do not live in either Dallas or Houston you may still click on the button and enter your zip code to check rates in your area:
Champion Energy offers only one term for their residential electric plan, we currently recommend Startex Power over Champion Energy at this time. They have the cheapest electric rate and there is no monthly service fee. As of February 2009 their electric rate is 11.3 cents kWh with no monthly service fee and this is for 12 or 6 months fixed(as of Feb 23 2009). I have yet to see a better offer then this.
Since these electric rates have been published electric rates could come up across the board among all providers if the energy market makes a move up. Feb 2009 represents a fresh low in energy prices. If you would like to see the cheapest electric providers rates and terms of service in comparison to Champion Energy’s current electric rates you may click on the yellow gold boxes above. Enter your zip code and all available terms with Startex Power will come up at their lowest available prices. This is their promotional electric rate and you can sign up on this promotional offer using the promo box above. The promo code is built into the link so their will be no need to enter it as it will be filled in for you.
Since we wrote about this offer in February the Texas electric market could have gone up or down since then. Because of this the discount rate now could be higher or lower from what was offered in February 2009. Once you lock in to the electric rate it is fixed but Texas electric rates change quite frequently with the commodities market so it is important to lock in at the right time.
Residential electric companies competing in Texas have begun to offer several different electric rate products that are a mix match of both fixed terms and variable rates. What first looks to be like a great offer can come back to sting you later. The latest issue I have seen is with Texas Retail Electric Providers requesting that you sign a 12 month contract to be on their variable rate. The issue we have with this is that these energy companies are working with a base energy rate that they do little in the form of hedging. This means if the rate skyrockets they pass that issue on to you and you end up paying a really high bill one month when the variable market goes through the roof. To request that the customer sign a contract to a rate they have no guarantee on is a bit insulting to me. Most electric companies out there however will have you sign a 6, 12 month or longer contract for a fixed electric rate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this as they have bought and hedged this energy at this term in order for you to buy it and insure that you pay that same rate the rest of the year. There is an actual service being performed here and a reason you need to sign a contract. If you were to break the contract early if perhaps energy rates went down and then signed up with a different electric company your previous electric company would be out of pocket for the difference in the rate they sold you and where the market is at now. Since they bought this electricity back when the market was higher they now have to sell it back at a lower price then they paid for it. They end up losing money on you leaving and going somewhere else. The variable market rate however is not hedged and is basically just an index price. The retail electric provider adds their adder onto the index price and that is their margin. They don’t hedge the energy but allow it to go up and down and sell it as a market rate with you carrying the risk. There is no reason to sign a contract on this type of rate as the risk is past on to the customer.
Affordable Texas Electricity for residential electric service consumers. Save 30% off of what most Texas energy companies are charging. Learn More
Saving Money On Electricity In Houston
Champion Energy has a very low cost electric rate in the Houston area. The price is lower then any of the other electric companies I have seen so far except for Startex Power. They only offer one term at 12 months but this is the most popular term for most people so it usually works for most peoples needs. The rate for January is at 11.1 cents a kWh with a $4.95 monthly service fee but Champion’s electric rate has gone up since then. If you add in the service fee into the rate goes up about .004 cents kWh which is still a lower rate then the most competitive providers offering residential electric service in Houston. For a more competitive electric rate then Champion Energy with no monthly service fee we recommend Startex Power. Depending on your area in Texas their rate will be higher or lower. To check rates in your area click here to continue.
If you live in Dallas Texas, Tyler Texas, Alpine, Fort Worth or other cities on the other side of the state there are cheaper providers then Champion. You can find out more here. Learn more about Texas Residential Electricity.
North Texas like Dallas and the cities around Dallas have some of the lowest electric rates in the state in comparison to Houston. We have a comparison chart for commercial customers and a more straightforward comparison for residential customers. If you go to the page for your county or city you will see an advertisement with the lowest cost energy providers for that city on the top left.
Champion Energy’s promotional code is built into the links below. Sign up with the cheapest electric provider below. Champion, Startex Power, Texas Power, and all the providers in the comparison chart are strong reputable electric providers without hidden fees and charges. These electricity companies have several fixed electricity prices and choices. Click on the “continue” link below to check rates in your area for your preferred electric provider. If you live outside Dallas or Houston or a different area you just need to enter your zip code for your area and click on the “compare” button. Once you click on the “compare” button a list of companies and rates will appear in the order of cheapest to most expensive. We explain all fees and charges so it will be clear what you are signing up for. Electricity prices based on your area will display and you can make a quick comparison from there.
Champion Energy offers a low cost residential electric rate in Houston Texas that is quite a bit lower then most of the other Retail Energy Providers out there. They have only one term to choose from at 12 months but for those wondering about signing up for a longer term it is like buying insurance in case energy rates were to go up. Rates are fairly low right now (As of the posting of this article on January 2007) so you can lock in for 12 months and forget about what rates will do until next year. The rate Champion is offering (as of Jan 2007, when this article was written) is at 11.1 cents a kWh with a $4.95 monthly service fee (champion electric rates may be higher or lower then this now depending on what the market has done since the posting of this). If you are like most households you can add in the $4.95 monthly fee and the rate is still at about 11.3 cents a kWh (as of Jan 2007) total which if you were to look around is one of the lowest 12 month terms I have been able to find out there. We have the current Champion Energy electric rate listed in the blue box above. Click on the box above to sign up with Champion.
Cheapest Electric Provider in Houston
Champion Energy is one of the cheapest electric provider in Houston for the 12 month term I have found. The only other provider that has been cheaper then Champion is with Startex Power. If you would like to sign up with them you can sign up here with this promotional code link. The promo coupon code is built into the link so you will not have to worry about entering it into the coupon code field.
Coupon Code With Champion Electric Company
The coupon code with Champion Energy has expired. You can sign up with Startex Power which is currently the cheapest electric provider.
Affordable Texas Electricity for residential electric service consumers. Save 30% off of what most Texas energy companies are charging. Learn More
Champion Energy is a large wholesale energy provider and operates primarily in the commercial sales arena. There are several smaller Retail Electric Providers who buy their energy from Champion and resell it under an alternate name. Champion Energy consistently provides competitive pricing to commercial businesses in Texas although with any electric company certain risk management policy changes can make their prices more or less competitive throughout the year.
For large commercial accounts there is usually the option to have a blend of multiple energy products to bring down the overall cost of the energy you will be paying for throughout the year. Champion Energy can assist in procuring your energy using both MCPE index pricing along with a fixed price product at the right percentage to benefit you the most based on market conditions. Eisenbach Consulting can assist in managing the risk and converting over part of a blended product when opportunities arise in the market to lock in more of the rate to a fixed energy product.
If you just need to find the cheapest available electric provider as it compares to Champion and other Texas electric providers then you may do so here: Startex Power Discount Residential Electricity Rate
Merry Christmas everyone! We are ending the year and we have seen electric rates come down to a historical 12 month low. At this time which is December 21 2007 we have found a 6 month residential electric rate at 10.2 cents kWh with no monthly fee, an 8 month rate at 10.4 cents (no fee), and a 12 month rate at 11.1 cents a kWh (no fee). These are the lowest fixed rate terms all year and they are sitting at a support level that will likely see them jump up soon. Now would be the time to take advantage of this bottom in the Texas energy market. You can browse over to the lowest cost provider by going to their website to review their rates and sign up online. The promotional coupon code is built in to save additional money over their regular rate: Startex Power
If You Live In Houston
If you live in Houston you will actually save the most money with Startex Power as well. This reputable REP electric provider by the name of Startex has been in business since Texas deregulated. As of Dec 21 2007 they had a 1 year plan at 11.1 cents a kWh with no monthly service fee. As of Feb 2009 they have a rate in Dallas at 11 cents kWh for 1 year fixed and slightly higher in Houston. You may go to their promotional energy rate here: Startex Power
Rates have climbed quite a bit since this article was written back in December of 2007 but came back down again in historical fashion as of Feb 2009. Right now Startex Power still offers a consistently lower rate then the other Texas electric companies. You can sign up with Startex’s current residential electric rate here: Startex Residential Discount Electric Rate
You may use the comparison chart on the left to compare several Houston electricity compainies. We pride ourselves in going a few steps further than some Texas electricity providers by disclosing every charge in the advertised electric rate and averaging those charges together so you no exactly what you will be paying. We offer no tricks or gimmicks just a clear easy to understand comparison. You will need to enter your zip code in the box to the left to get started.
Picking a Houston Retail Electric Provider
Texas Retail electric providers must be certified by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. There are several energy providers in Houston Texas but only a few offer truly competitive rates. There are literally about 200 different electricity rate plans out there but your best bet is to stay on a fixed electricity rate for a term of atleast 12 months.
Learn more about the deregulation of electricity in Texas, shop electricity rates and compare offers from Houston electricity providers by visitng Power to Choose.
Follow these instructions, and save money buy picking a cheaper provider:
Comparing Electricity Rates among the major providers
What we have seen when comparing electricity rates among some of the major electricity players in Texas is that most electricity companies wish to compete but the conservative energy trading policies in place do not always allow for them to lower or match a competing electric providers prices.
Problems a company may face when shopping for electric rates
Let’s make up a scenario, Let’s say John with ACME inc. decides to shop around for the cheapest electric rate. He goes to TXU and asks them to give him their best rates for 12 months, 24 months and 36 month terms. TXU comes back and quotes him some great rates. TXU even offers to give him the possibility of an even lower rate if they can have the option to extend that rate out an additional year if they so choose. John doesn’t bite as that would mean he gets a good rate but he is in no way protected on the down side. If rates go down further he has to maintain his existing rate and do you really think TXU would excercise that option if the rates were to go up?
So John goes over to Reliant energy to see what they can do. They offer competitive electric rates but not good enough to beat TXU. TXU however is requiring a large deposit and Reliant is not requiring this. This makes John a little more inclined to go with Reliant but not until he checks out a few not so familiar electric companies.
Comparing multiple Electric Providers
John calls up Champion Energy, Spark Energy, and Green Mountain Energy company to see what type of deals they have going. Each company lags far behind TXU and Reliant except for one. It looks like Green Mountain Energy is willing to compete and has the energy trading policy that has them pricing near the bottom of the Retail margin available to make a profit. Green Mountain Energy is willing to make a small profit on the sale because they have been told by the customer what TXU is pricing at.
Going back to the best electric bid
John goes back to TXU and asks for better terms regarding the deposit requirement and a better price. Now TXU realizes this customer is beginning to receive some competitive prices. Because John is a facilities manager for a company that uses 10,000,000 kwh of power TXU decides to price below the Retail Margin that they could have made a profit and collect an additional customer at absolutely no profit. The sales manager explains that these large sales are needed prior to a possible merger with another energy company and will look good on paper. They also assure that we may be able to add profit onto the Electric Rate when their term is up next go around.
Energy Risk Management and the likely outcome to working in this box
This is a typical behind the scenes look at what may go on during the process of obtaining a competitive electricity rate. Many times it doesn’t happen like this and the customer is confused as to why their appears to be no competitive fight from provider to provider. The Electric Suppliers are just not able to match prices as a Retail Product Chain could do because the energy market has a Risk Management side to it similar to someone buying stocks for their retirement portfolio. If they were to break their energy trading policy it would be similar to a typical bad investor who puts his money into random stocks only to see the stocks plummet beyond his means. Eventually, not only does the investor not make a profit he is liable for a margin call or mortgage payment on a house. The energy trader is liable to stock holders, the Board of trustees and management. If they were to break policy they could cause serious consequences to the company.
