Planning a Move? Follow the “Three C’s” to Shop for Electric Service

AUSTIN – Along with packing boxes and getting ready to go, there is one more task to complete before moving into a new home – shopping for an electric provider.

Today, most Texans have the power to choose their Retail Electric Provider, the company that sells electricity to their home and provides billing and other customer services.

Follow the “Three C’s” to Choose an Electric Provider

Contact:
● Call the Texas Electric Choice Answer Center at 1-866-PWR-4-TEX, (1-866-797-4839), or
● Click on the website www.powertochoose.org for a list of Retail Electric Providers offering service in the area.

Compare:
● Contact Retail Electric Providers in the area and ask for each company’s Electricity Facts Label. Or view Electricity Facts Labels and offers online at www.powertochoose.org.
● Compare the companies based on price, contract terms and other services found in the Electricity Facts Label.

Choose:
● Customers contact the new Retail Electric Provider they have selected to sign up for service.
● Customers do not need to contact their current electric provider to inform them of their choice.

“Whether you are new to the neighborhood or new to Texas, we want to help make it easy for you to select your electric provider,” said Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Rebecca Klein. “We call it the “three C’s” – contact, compare and choose.”

Shopping for Service

First, a customer should contact Texas Electric Choice to find out the Retail Electric Providers that service their area. Customers can call toll-free 1-866-PWR-4-TEX (1-866-797-4839) or click the Texas Electric Choice website (www.powertochoose.org).

Next, customers should compare the Retail Electric Providers available by contacting each company and asking for their Electricity Facts Label. The Electricity Facts Label allows customers to compare electric providers based on electricity price, contract terms, sources of power generation and other services. Customers should have their latest electric bill available when contacting the Retail Electric Providers. Customers can also compare offers from Retail Electric Providers at www.powertochoose.org by simply entering their ZIP code.

Then, customers need to simply choose a new Retail Electric Provider by contacting the company directly. Switching providers is as easy as one call to the new company or one visit to its website. Customers do not need to contact their old electric provider to tell them about the switch.

Once a decision is made, the electric provider will supply each customer with a Terms of Service Agreement and a Customer Disclosure. This disclosure covers standard customer protections and is mandated by the Public Utility Commission. The Public Utility Commission is the state agency that ensures the safety and reliability of electric service to all Texans.

During the last year, more than half a million Texans have switched electric providers and saved more than $900 million on their electric bills. Switching electric providers when moving is easy, simply follow the "three C’s” – contact, compare and choose.