It’s a great feeling for anyone knowing they can switch on the air conditioning, lights, or space heater and think: “I’m with the best electric company in Texas.”
There’s no need to compromise on lifestyle if your Texas electricity plan comes with incentives that save you energy and dollars.
You might well be asking yourself: “How do I find the best Texas electricity company near me?” Fear not. We’ve got two decades’ experience in helping people find the deal that best suits their needs — and wallet.
We’ll show you how to find the best electricity plans in Texas, following three different energy users on their journey.
Why Should I Look at Lots of Texas Electric Plans?
The Lone Star State has enjoyed a deregulated energy market since 2002, covering places like Dallas, Houston, Waco, Fort Worth, and more. People living in deregulated areas have access to electricity deals from more than 130 retail electric providers (REPs) operating across Texas. These REPs are electric companies that you pay your monthly electricity bill to.
Such choice means a wide range of contracts are available, each tailored to reflect an individual’s budget, lifestyle, and desired peace of mind. Imagine free electricity at night, or even free electricity all weekend, for example.
Your electricity contract could also help save you more than you imagine. Many have learned the lessons from Texas’ deadly winter storm of February 2021. The devastating weather brought power blackouts across the state and electricity bills that skyrocketed.
Fixed-rate deals protected many customers from eye-watering bills. Many people with variable rate contracts received huge bills as electricity prices rose 7,400% to $9 per kWh during the storm, up from the more usual 12 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
What’s a Good Price for Electricity in Texas?
Remember: Nationwide, the Lone Star state produces the most energy. On a per-capita basis, Texas is the sixth-heaviest user of electricity.
The national average residential electricity price in 2020 was 13.15 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and 13.72 cents in 2021. In November 2021, the U.S. average residential price was 14.12 cents compared to 12.81 cents per kWh in Texas, highlighting the value in the Texan electricity market.
Prices can and do change. However, you can lock in a fixed rate for your electricity if you shop around. That’s why it’s crucial to find the answer to the question: “How do I find the best Texas electricity near me.”
How Do I Compare the Best Texas Electricity Companies Near Me?
You can perform searches on Powertochoose.org. Check our guide to help you navigate. A PUC-approved utility provides electricity to anyone living in a non-deregulated part of Texas, such as CPS Energy in San Antonio.
How Do I Find Great Value Texas Electricity Near Me?
You can search for “Texas electricity suppliers near me” and hope you strike lucky. You could talk to friends and family for recommendations, or stick with your current electric company.
Alternatively, you can spend a little time investigating the many Texas electricity plans and incentives available to 85% of Texas residents. A powerful tool is the Powertochoose.org website, run by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC or PUCT) to bring choice to your fingertips. Check if you live in a deregulated area by entering your ZIP code into the site’s search tool.
Why Are There So Many Texas Electricity Plans in Texas?
The 130-plus electricity companies have a panoply of offers to appeal to many different people. Such variety creates thousands of potential contracts, making quick, verifiable, and informed comparisons vital.
What’s the Best Electricity Company in Texas?
Naturally, we want everyone to think about Amigo Energy when they start searching online for phrases like “best Texas electricity near me.”
Like clothes on a sales rack, the lowest price is not always the best quality indicator. That’s why here at Amigo Energy, we pride ourselves on innovative energy plans, unbeatable customer service, and easily-understandable electricity bills. Our competitive rates and upfront and honest approach, with no hidden costs, means we hope you’ll soon see us as the best electricity company in Texas.
This guide to finding electricity companies is all part of our holistic approach to energy services.
How Do I Switch and Change My Texas Electric Company?
Switching Texas electric company is straightforward. Some companies can turn the lights on the same day, even on weekends, or with a quick 30-minute call. Most require proof of identity, address, and a payment method. These included card payment, check, online, mobile apps, and at automated pay stations.
However, while switching is easy, you must also do some preparation work. Contact your current energy supplier several weeks before switching. Find out about any early termination fees on your contract, whether you can change, and any outstanding bill credits, rebates, or monies owed. In short, find out the costs and process for leaving your current deal.
The Journey to Finding the Best Electricity Rates Near Me
Now you know why it’s a good idea to look for the best electricity company in Texas; saving money, better value, and an enhanced lifestyle.
Before you start looking for Texas electricity companies, note the following:
- Your home type (apartment, house, etc.)
- Number of household members and ages
- Your current average household energy use in kWh per month (check recent bills or ask your current supplier for more information)
- The contract length you wish (e.g., long-term stability or short-term period)
- Whether you want a fixed-rate or variable-rate offer
- If you want a renewable energy or green product contract
What’s the Difference Between Fixed-Rate and Variable-Rate?
Understanding the difference between fixed-rate and variable-rate costs is fundamental to finding the best electricity rates for you. There are three pricing options, and companies advertise in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
- Variable-rate plans: Electric rates (kWh) fluctuate and are set by your Texas light company. You can pay different prices on any given day or hour. The 2021 Texas storm is an example of how costs can rise without protection for customers.
- Fixed-rate electricity plans: Fixed-rate plans are designed to bring price stability so that people can budget for utility bills. You pay the same kWh rate throughout the contract.
- Indexed rate: These are rare but work like variable-rate plans with fluctuating prices. A publicly available index sets the costs rather than a Texas light company.
As a rule of thumb, a fixed-rate deal will have a higher kWh price than a variable-rate offer. Remember, a variable rate is just that. Expect price changes, which can mean more expensive electricity as well as cheaper rates.
What’s the Best Texas Electricity Plan For Me?
The best electricity plan for you will depend on your lifestyle, budget, and electricity use. Let’s look at three households with different needs and see some of the electricity deals out there for them.
As we join three different households on their journey through Texas’ deregulated energy market, think about your own home within the same framework, and you’ll be on your way to finding an excellent electricity deal.
These are examples that we compiled in February 2022, and you are encouraged to do plenty of online research around “Texas Electricity Near Me” to see which deal may suit you best.
1) A Couple With Three Kids and a Home Worker
The Miller family is moving to a new, four-bedroomed detached house in Grand Prairie in Dallas (ZIP code 75052). The family unit comprises two adults and three young children. One adult works from home while the other works as a teacher at the local school.
Their electricity usage is relatively high, around 2,000 kWh a month, double the national standard average of 1,000 kWh a month. The kids enjoy gaming, and the stay-at-home-worker loves air conditioning.
The family has said it’s looking for long-term and stable prices because they won’t be moving again soon and want to budget.
Just Energy returned a 60-month (five years) package aimed at families focusing on a low kWh price and no hidden fees. Here are the details:
Outline offer
Term: 60 months
Rate: Fixed
Price: 12.3 cents per kWh based on 2,000 kWh monthly usage
Estimated monthly bill: $246
The Basics 60 offer includes no minimum use, payment fees, or base charges. Transmission and distribution costs are passed through at cost. There is an early termination fee of $175, but the family has no plans to move, so this shouldn’t become an issue.
Budget planning is easy for the Millers because they know what they will be paying for the next five years, with the 12.3 cents per kWh rate lower than November’s U.S. national average of 14.12 cents per kWh.
Furthermore, Just Energy offers up to $400 in bill credits on some deals. The company also provides gas and electricity services across parts of the U.S. and Canada.
2) Independent Highflyer Who Loves Weekends at Home
Our next deal finder, Olivia Garcia, is moving to a small apartment just outside Houston’s 610 North Loop, close to the Independence Heights area (ZIP code 77022). She’s been assigned to Houston by her company on a year-long contract to sort out the underperforming local office.
Olivia is a young, dedicated worker who spends almost all her week at work then loves relaxing at home at the weekend. Cooking, writing, and watching films are her favorite pastimes, and she loves her house to feel warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Despite that, she only uses around 500 kWh of electricity every month.
We’ve selected a deal that many people could miss. The Weekends Free Plan with Tara Energy lasts 12-months and does what it says — offers free electricity from 7 p.m. on a Friday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
Outline offer
Term: 12 months
Rate: Fixed
Price: 15 cents per kWh based on 500 kWh monthly usage
Bonus: Free electricity on weekends
Estimated monthly bill: $75
The 15 cents per kWh price could make people dismiss the offer without considering the benefits of free weekend electricity. However, Olivia may not use very much electricity at that price, thanks to the free power on weekends and being away from home almost all week.
Were she looking for the lowest price possible, other options may appeal. Tara Energy also offers 12-months of electricity at a fixed rate of 10.9 cents per kWh with the Base Saver III. If Olivia knows her energy usage, this could be a better deal for her. The Base Saver III offers a $75 bill credit when her monthly use is equal to or greater than 1,000 kWh.
Both carry early termination fees, which makes choosing the right deal imperative. Understanding your energy usage and budget is vital to selecting the best Texas electricity supplier — early terminations fees can add up if you hop from supplier to supplier every few months.
3) An Elderly Couple Keen to Be Green While Enjoying Retirement
“Our final searchers are a retired couple of night owls who live in their lifelong home in San Angelo (ZIP code 76905). The Johnsons are active and out and about from morning until night. Once they’re home late in the evening, they get on with chores and only sleep a few hours before rising and heading back out into the world.
They’re internet-savvy and comfortable shopping around and changing electricity suppliers every year or two to secure the best deal.
The answer to “Who’s the best Texas electricity supplier near me?” can often be closer to home. That’s right; we think our Nights Free Plan fits them. At Amigo Energy, this deal gives ten hours of free electricity every day from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Outline offer
Term: 12 months
Rate: Fixed
Price: 15 cents per kWh based on 500 kWh monthly usage
Bonus: Free electricity at night time
Estimated monthly bill: $75
The Johnsons want to use their energy savings to battle climate change. They add on our Just Green option, meaning Amigo Energy buys 100% renewable energy to cover their energy use. And like Olivia, oftentimes, the Johnsons may not pay the 15 cents per kWh because they use the bulk of their power at home at night, when it’s free.
Why Should I Read the Electricity Facts Label (EFL)?
The above scenarios and solutions are just three of a multitude. Know your energy usage and budget, and do the appropriate research before signing up for any energy deal. Keep asking yourself: “Is this the best Texas electricity deal?” and more importantly, “Is this the best Texas electricity deal for me?”
Fortunately, help comes in the form of the Electricity Facts Labels (EFL). These accompany every Texas light company offer, and it’s vital to read each one because they contain the fine details of the contract you’ll sign. Look for:
- High early termination fees
- Deposits: Are they refundable? Under what conditions?
- Contract term length: Sign up for what you need. Otherwise, those early termination fees may apply.
- Hidden charges: These can include base charges and electric service charges. Some EFLs even list an additional kWh levy under general “charges.”
- Minimum usage levels: Tread with care! Some light companies offer low kWh prices only if you use an agreed amount of electricity, rewarding heavy users. However, fail to meet minimum usage levels, and you may pay a lot more for the energy you use.
Having read all the EFLs, compare them to your current deal or energy usage and work out which is the best Texas electricity company for you. Most companies offer sign-ups online or over the phone.
Why Can’t I Find Any Different Texas Electricity Suppliers Near Me?
Not every city, town, or county in Texas is part of the deregulated energy market. You won’t be able to find different Texas electricity suppliers if your area’s ZIP code is in a non-deregulated zone.
People living in non-deregulated ZIP code regions have their electricity provided by a PUC-approved utility.
I’m a Step Closer to the Best Texas Electricity Near Me
There are many Texas electric plans from which to choose. Searching online for “Texas electricity suppliers near me” or “Texas electricity near me” returns hundreds of results.
The best advice is to understand your energy usage and budget first, and then look at different electric plans. Compare and contrast them, and use our guide on finding the best electricity companies to assist your search. Always read the Electricity Facts Labels, and make sure you’re comfortable with your anticipated bills. Choose a fixed-rate deal if you don’t want surprise price hikes.
The answer to the “best Texas electricity near me” takes a little time but promises plenty of lifestyle — and budgetary — rewards.
Brought to you by amigoenergy
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