Energy — and its website ChooseEnergy.com — as you go about shopping for an energy company that serves your area.
What Is Choose Energy?
Choose Energy is an energy broker registered with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). As a broker, the company doesn’t offer its own electric supply. Instead, it acts as an energy market, making the plans from electricity suppliers such as — Just Energy, TXU Energy, and Constellation Energy — available for purchase by commercial and residential customers. If you find an electricity plan you want, you can sign up for it using the Choose Energy website and the company will help you get set up with your new electricity supplier.
Choose Energy also takes part of its mission to educate Texans and their broader customer base on energy deregulation, also known as energy choice or the power to choose. These terms refer to the energy policies of Texas and some other U.S. states that allow customers to choose their own energy provider.
This is distinct from regulated energy markets, in which customers have no choice but to use a local utility as their electricity provider. This local utility will have a monopoly on servicing a particular area, which can affect the available plans and electricity rates.
Where Is Choose Energy Based?
Choose Energy was founded in Texas with a primary focus on serving the Lone Star State’s deregulated energy market. It is currently based in Plano, Texas.
Who Owns Choose Energy?
According to its website, Choose Energy was founded as a standalone company, but became part of Red Ventures in 2008. Red Ventures is a portfolio of internet media companies (including Bankrate, CNET, and Lonely Planet) based in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
How Can You Get In Touch With Choose Energy?
According to Choose Energy.com, you can reach out to them with questions at PowerCustomerService@redventures.com. If you’d prefer to use the phone, their listed number is 877-800-4044.
If you have questions about your electricity bill, you’ll want to contact your electricity provider. If you have a complaint or problem with your energy bill, you can reach out directly to the Public Utilities Commission of Texas. The mailing address is:
- PUC – Customer Protection
P.O. Box 13326
Austin, TX 78711-3326
You can also reach them at customer@puc.texas.gov or 1-888-782-8477.
Which Areas Does Choose Energy Serve?
As a Texas-first energy market, Choose Energy has service areas in many major Texas cities, including Dallas, Houston, Arlington, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, and others. But Choose Energy also offers its services to other states, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, California, and Massachusetts.
What’s the Best Way to Learn About Electricity Rates?
Choose Energy is just one of several different comparison sites for customers shopping for electricity . Be sure to investigate your options before switching energy suppliers to ensure that you find the best electricity rates for your situation.
To learn about different electricity rates in your area, you can enter your ZIP code on Choose Energy’s website. The company also has a page devoted to breaking down electricity rates on a state-by-state basis.
One of the best ways to find the energy options you need is to use the Power to Choose website, which is the official website of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. The platform is free to use and it offers unbiased information, including the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) for every energy plan you see.
How Should I Choose an Energy Plan?
There are a few different factors that discerning customers should look at when choosing which energy plan. A few of the biggest are:
- Supplier reputation: Choosing an electricity supplier can be a big commitment, especially if the contracts are for multiple years. Check around to see if the suppliers you’re considering have a reputation for honesty and dealing fairly with clients.
- Contract length: Some suppliers will offer month-to-month contracts, while others will require you to sign in for a year or more. Think carefully about contract length, as there can be early termination fees if you decide to end a contract early.
- Energy price: Ultimately, what you’re buying from an energy supplier is energy. You want to compare the price of energy across different suppliers, just as you would compare insurance rates between different agencies or the price of a car between different dealerships.
- Green energy options: Renewable sources of energy, such as solar panels, are becoming more popular in an increasingly climate-conscious world. If you care about reducing your emissions, be sure to check whether an energy supplier has options from renewable energy sources and what fraction of the energy they supply comes from these sources.
Does Choose Energy Only Offer Energy Plans That Require a Deposit or Credit Check?
Choose Energy does have plans from energy suppliers that require credit checks, although not all have this requirement. If your credit score is low, you may be asked to make a deposit before power is turned on at your location. However, this ultimately depends on the specifics of the energy providers. Choose Energy’s website contains a page dedicated to listing providers with plans that don’t require a deposit.
Learn more about no deposit electricity from Tara Energy.
Does Signing Up With a New Supplier Involve Hidden Fees?
Choose Energy works to ensure that the rates shown in their energy market are “all-inclusive.” This means that they reflect all charges, fees, and deposits a customer will be expected to pay if they select a particular plan, so there shouldn’t be any surprise charges or hidden fees.
Some electricity providers do require you to pay a fee if you switch to a different provider. This information will be listed in the Electricity Facts Label or the terms and conditions that you received when you enrolled in your plan with them.
How Can I Switch Electricity Services on ChooseEnergy.com?
As an energy marketplace, Choose Energy tries to make switching between different electricity providers as simple as it can be. The process is straightforward:
- Enter your ZIP code on their website and see what plans are offered in your service area. If you find one you like, you can sign up for it with the “Sign Up“ button.
- Check your inbox for a confirmation email. Be sure to check the spam folder too if you don’t receive a confirmation email.
- The local utility will handle things from here. Choose Energy’s sign-up procedure involves notifying the local utility that you’ve switched to a different provider, without you needing to fill out additional paperwork.
Note: While new plans might be eligible for a same-day connection, it can take up to five business days to switch from one energy provider to another. Be sure to find out before making the switch.
Empower Your Community
Referring a friend to Tara Energy gets both of you a $75 bill credit.
How Can I Find Information on Current Natural Gas or Electricity Rates?
An energy bill can be a fairly complex document, but other than fees and taxes, there are two main categories you’ll need to be familiar with.
The first category is supply charges, which are the costs you incur when you actually consume electricity — for example, by using a toaster, water heater, or television. The supply charges for electricity are denominated in cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while those for natural gas are denominated in either cents per therm or cents per cubic feet.
The second category is delivery charges, which are the costs you pay to your local utility so that it can maintain the infrastructure, such as the transmission lines, which actually take electricity from an electricity provider and transport it to you.
Supply charges are different between providers, while delivery charges should stay the same no matter what electricity provider you use.
What’s the Difference Between Fixed-Rate Plans and Variable-Rate Electricity Plans?
Two common types of electricity plans are the fixed-rate plan and the variable-rate plan. These alternatives are different in important ways that you should understand.
As its name implies, a fixed-rate plan involves a single, fixed charge for electricity or natural gas that will not change while you’re under contract. With a fixed-rate plan, you don’t have to worry about sudden leaps in the price of energy. The price will stay the same for the length of your contract.
Variable rate plans, however, have a rate that varies as the market price for energy goes up or down. This means that your rate could change from one month to the next.
The major advantage of a fixed-rate plan is predictability — you know what you’re going to pay every month, and can come up with a reasonable estimate of your monthly energy bill for the duration of your contract. The major advantage of a variable-rate plan is that you could save a lot during months when energy prices are low — though the converse is also true, and you could spend a lot when energy prices are high.
Choose Your Energy Wisely
As an energy marketplace serving deregulated energy markets across the United States, Choose Energy features energy plans from a variety of different providers, including options for green energy and options that don’t require deposits.
ChooseEnergy.com is one way for you to explore the plans offered by providers in your service area, allowing you to compare them to determine which one will work for your particular lifestyle and situation. The best energy plan will always be the one that meets your needs for power while fitting within your budget, so be sure to shop around to weigh the pros and cons of different options.
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