The power to switch is all about knowing your rights as an electric customer. In Texas, the electricity market is deregulated. Instead of only being able to get electricity from the utility and then paying the rates the utility requires, Texas retail electricity providers buy energy from generators at wholesale prices. Providers then compete with each other to offer consumers more options in terms of their electricity plans. Every electricity consumer in Texas' deregulated markets has to choose a retail electricity provider, but once you choose you don't have to stay with that provider forever. You have the power to switch electricity providers to find the best service and the best rates to meet your electric needs.

After Senate Bill 7 went into effect in January 2002, nearly 6 million power customers became eligible to choose their energy supplier. That number has grown through the years. By deregulating the state’s energy market, the Texas Senate gave constituents the power to choose. The process of energy deregulation in Texas dismantled the utilities’ monopoly over the electric market and encouraged customers to explore their energy options.
Since the Texas electricity market opened to competition in 2002, many Texas residents have had the opportunity to choose their own electricity provider. Instead of relying on their local utility to provide them with electricity, most Texans can choose from a variety of competitive providers, allowing them to shop around for the perfect electricity plan for their homes and lifestyles.

Compare and choose energy plans from the best electricity providers in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Abilene, Waco, McAllen and all other energy deregulated cities in Texas: Direct Energy, First Choice Power, Frontier Utilities, Payless Power, Acacia Energy, Tara Energy, Sunfinity Solar and more. With most of these provider plans, you can even get same-day energy for free! Quick Electricity features many electric companies with free nights and weekends. Popular prepaid electricity plans include, Bright Choice, Power to Go Weekends and Deposit Saver. Call us now to get your lights on pronto!

2Offer valid for new residential customers in Texas only. To utilize all features of the Echo Dot, you will need an 'always on' Wi-Fi internet service. If you cancel your plan early there's a fee of $135. You cannot return your Echo Dot to avoid the early cancellation fee. Terms and Conditions apply. All Amazon trademarks and copyrights are property of Amazon.com or its affiliates. The Echo Dot is provided by Direct Energy, Amazon is not a sponsor of this energy plan offer.

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Texas Electricity Rating advocates for consumers and evaluates providers in the Texas electricity market for features and characteristics that typical energy customers may miss, such as high deposits, variable rates, incentives, "free" plans, and minimum usage plans. Our mission is to help consumers find the best electricity providers to fit their individual needs, as well as educate customers about potential marketplace pitfalls.
HOUSTON, Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past summer, the Public Utilities Commission of Texas has been baffled by Retail Energy Providers using pricing gimmicks that dupe Texas consumers into high monthly bills at its Power to Choose website.(1) The PUC of Texas' best solution was to tweak some sort settings, limit the number of REP plans, and offer a "series of user-friendly PDFs and videos intended to guide and inform the customer."(2) The chairman has even recently said that if the PUCT can't figure out a solution, then the commission may just shut down the Power to Choose website.(3)
The price difference may be a few cents, but another Texas electricity company might offer better rewards, have better customer service, or may offer other plans you may be interested in the future. Some plans may draw you in with a low promotional rate, but once that promotional period is up you may be faced with a high rate. Be sure to read all the fine print when it comes to your electricity plan selection.
Quick Electricity prepaid electricity is for Texas residents who prefer to pay ahead for their electric service rather than receive an end of the month bill. Benefits of prepaid lights include a fast, same day electric connection, avoiding a credit check, zero down, daily usage reminders, easy payments and in some cases, free power. Our service territory includes the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, Houston and surrounding areas, Abilene, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Odessa, Waco, McAllen, the Rio Grande Valley and 400+ Texas towns in between. Call us now (877) 509-8946 to sign up for prepaid energy or order online day or night.
The price to beat seemed to accomplish its goal of attracting competitors to the market during the period through January 1, 2007. It allowed competitors to enter the market without allowing the incumbents to undercut them in price. It has also given energy consumers the ability to compare energy rates offered by different providers. The less-regulated providers undercut the price to beat by only a small margin given that they must balance lower prices (to attract customers and build market share) with higher prices (needed to reinvest in new power plants). Due to the small difference in competing prices and slow (yearly or so) "buying" process, price decrease due to competition was very slow, and it took a few years to offset the original increase by "traditional" electric providers and move to lower rates.
One desired effect of the competition is lower electricity rates. In the first few years after the deregulation in 2002, the residential rate for electricity increased seven times, with the price to beat at around 15 cents per kilowatt hour (as of July 26, 2006, www.powertochoose.org) in 2006. However, while prices to customers increased 43% from 2002 to 2004, the costs of inputs rose faster, by 63%, showing that not all increases have been borne by consumers.[7] (See Competition and entry of new firms above for discussion on the relationship between retail prices, inputs, and investment.)
While no company is perfect, we think an energy provider that owns up to mistakes and tries to treat customers fairly is a good thing for customers and for the deregulated energy industry. If a company isn't taking responsibility, we want the market competition to push them to be better, and customer reviews from energy consumers and ratepayers just like you makes that possible.
The price difference may be a few cents, but another Texas electricity company might offer better rewards, have better customer service, or may offer other plans you may be interested in the future. Some plans may draw you in with a low promotional rate, but once that promotional period is up you may be faced with a high rate. Be sure to read all the fine print when it comes to your electricity plan selection.
No worries. It’s always a good idea to shop for a new electricity plan when you are moving to see if there is a better deal on electricity available. But, if you are happy with your current electric rate, most electricity providers will gladly keep you as a customer and continue service under your current contract at your new apartment or house as long as you move within the same utility delivery area. Don’t worry about early termination fees. If you are moving, your electricity provider cannot charge you an early termination fee if you provide a valid proof of a change of address thanks to customer protection rules established by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
As a residential or commercial customer, you’ll enjoy competitive rates, flexible contracts, and personalized plans that give you the power to choose what’s best for you. And we offer no-deposit electricity for well-qualified customers and deposit payment plans for those with less than desirable credit so that switching retail electric providers won’t break the bank.‡ When you switch to Amigo Energy today, you’ll switch on the power of convenience and affordability.

Despite the fact that Texas sees much higher temperatures year round, most households contain and use heating units. These units generate heat in one of four ways: other, propane, electricity and natural gas. Just over half of households in Texas use electricity to run their heating units. This is a much greater average than the overall average for the nation.