Posted on 07/24/2008 5:45:36 AM PDT by Buffalo Bob
Some electric retailers in Texas reduce rates after natural gas cost takes a tumble
Texas electricity prices may have peaked for the summer after a price drop by some retail providers.
While many retailers have held rates steady or even raised them this month, the decreases that have come are the first this year.
The lower rates followed a steep drop in the price of natural gas — a key power plant fuel that essentially sets the price of power in Texas — which has plummeted nearly 28 percent this month.
Since the end of June, some one-year fixed-rate electric plans have dropped by 10 percent or more in Houston and 5 percent in Dallas, according to a survey of the lowest-priced plans by ChooseEnergy.com, an online site that screens and compares retail electricity providers.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
I myself have completed a 1 year fixed plan on Gexa at 12.9 cents per kWh in January. I was then automatically swiched to their month-to-month plan at 12.2 cents per kWh and was there until our last bill, which raised me to 14.3. I was looking carefully for another 1-2 year fixed rate, when I noticed some providers lowering thier rates slightly over just a few days.
I'll hold my playing cards close for now and see how this crazy poker game goes for a few more hands...
Don’t ya just love how de-regulation has made electricity so simple in our Texas? Stellar program the rest of the country should follow!!!!! NOT.
But but but the electric car is the solution to our energy crisis. < /s >
Our electric provider, PEC, is raising it’s rates this month. (one of several this year.
Probably to help pay for it’s legal woes.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/settlements/11137/pedernales-board-payout.html
Awfully nice of Reliant Energy to pay $300million dollars for naming rights of the football stadium to the team owner on a stadium that cost the tax payers $300million.
Reliant could’ve built the damn thing.
And they swear it doesn’t have an impact on the price of service.
Ed Wallace on KLIF FM radio has been screaming about deregulation for ten years or whatever—NOW we are listening!
you at least have choices in texas.
there must be a dozen electric marketers.
we do not.
Yes, but all the choices are for higher prices. The areas that do not offer the choices of providers tend to have lower rates.
I think our electric utility is looking for a 15% rate increase. Thats about the usual rate increase.
NY which is also deregulated, offers fixed or variable rates. Fixed rates run high to anticipate market fluctuations, variable rates are a monthly average of the market cost. When averaged over a 1 year period the variable rate has been significantly lower, so far. I would really like to see real time rates take effect so I would be able to do things like run the hottub, dryer and pool pump at a time of day when rates are at their lowest.
Depends on where you live. In our area, Perdernales Electric Coop is the only game in town and they certainly take advantage of that fact.
In my brilliance, I selected a power plan with TXU that was tied to the price of Natural Gas last year.
That might sound good today but it sure wasn’t last month.
I had a good month to month plan and was for much of the time paying about 9.5 cents per kwh but when it zoomed to 24.5 cents I bailed and took advantage of an offer for 13.05 cents fixed rate scheduled to go to 14.5 cents in November and got a $50 kickback.
There is another important point to consider. Many of these retailers are just brokers and may go bellyup. If they do, the customer will likely to transferred without their knowledge to one of the biggies and see their bills reach the moon. Some peak energy prices have gone as high as $4 a KWH. It is ridiculous.
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