AUSTIN – Recently, the Public Utility Commission ruled on the fuel adjustment to the “Price to Beat” rate in Texas.  The “Price to Beat” rate is offered by affiliated retail electric providers to their residential and small commercial customers.  The Texas Electric Choice campaign reminds customers that this is a perfect time to exercise the “three C’s” and shop for a Retail Electric Provider who best serves their needs.

The campaign has stressed that shopping for a Retail Electric Provider can be simple by following its “three C’s.” 

C – Call or Click.   Contact the Texas Electric Choice through its website (www.powertochoose.org) or the Answer Center (866-PWR-4-TEX) and find the list of providers who offer service in the area.  All a customer has to provide is his or her ZIP code.

C – Compare.  On the website, or through the contact information provided at the Answer Center, customers can compare retail electric providers through each company’s Electricity Facts Label.  This standardized label works much like the nutrition label on food products – providing easy comparison of one company to another.  Each Electricity Facts Label shows price, contract terms, sources of power generation and emissions for each company.  This allows customers to make an apples-to-apples comparison.

C – Choose. After reviewing the information, customers can decide who is right for them.  Choosing is simple: it is one call to the new Retail Electric Provider or one visit to that company’s website (and the Texas Electric Choice site links you there).  There is no need to call the company that is currently providing electric service – everything is switched through the new company.  

“Customers affected by the rate increases don’t have to sit idly by and pay more every month – that’s the beauty of competition – every customer has a choice,” said Chairman Rebecca Klein of the Public Utility Commission.  “Customers should investigate their options, and make the decision that is right for them.  Texas residents saved more than $900 million dollars last year alone – and switching to lower cost providers is certainly one way to increase that savings amount.”

There are more than 25 active Retail Electric Providers in Texas serving all types of customers.  Residential customers have up to 11 electric providers from which to choose.  In 2002, a residential customer who switched to the lowest cost provider saved between $80 and $165 over the year.  When the savings of residential customers are combined with business customer savings, more than $1.5 billion was saved in 2002.

Since competition began on January 1, 2002, more than 360,000 Texas residential customers have switched retail electric providers. Thousands of other customers are shopping for a new electric provider by going online at www.powertochoose.org or by calling the toll-free Electric Choice Answer Center (1-866-PWR-4-TEX). 

About Texas Electric Choice

For more information on Texas Electric Choice, or for a free “Power Guide to Electric Choice” in either English or Spanish, call toll-free 1-866-797-4839 or visit the website at www.powertochoose.org or www.poderdeescoger.org.  Additional publications are available in English and Spanish, and alternative materials will be provided on the website for customers with visual impairments. Customers also can call the toll-free TDD number (877-864-4725).