Texas Electric Choice Launches

AUSTIN - March 5, 2001 - Texas Electric Choice, the public education campaign created to inform Texans of their right to choose the company that provides their electricity, launched a statewide advertising blitz today with a series of television, radio and print ads.

Examples of the advertising will be available on the Texas Electric Choice website, www.powertochoose.org.

Under a state law passed during the 1999 legislative session, most Texans are now able to choose their Retail Electric Provider (REP) from a list of companies certified by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the state agency responsible for overseeing the Texas Electric Choice campaign. The PUC will continue to regulate the transmission and distribution of electricity to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of power to homes and businesses. Customers are able to shop around for the best electricity deal, much as they do for groceries or automobiles.

Electric choice begins with a Pilot Program this summer, when five percent of customers served by investor-owned utilities can choose their REP. Most other customers will be able to choose their REP when electric choice goes statewide on January 1, 2002. Whether a customer participates in the Pilot Program or not, the safety and reliability of their electric service will not be affected.

Customers who do not want to participate in the Pilot Program will continue to receive electric service from their current electric utility, and no one can switch their service without their approval. Customers participating in the Pilot Program will have their electric service switched to the new REP they selected on June 1, 2001.

Business customers received an insert explaining how the Pilot Program works in their February electric bills. Residential customers will receive a similar insert in their March electric bills.

"This summer's Pilot Program is a dry-run before we take electric choice statewide next January," said PUC Chairman Pat Wood. "It'll give us a chance to work out any kinks in the system, and also give customers the chance to learn how the Texas Electric Choice program works so they can make informed decisions about their Retail Electric Provider."

Wood said competition among REPs should result in lower prices and lead to the development of new products and services, just as we've seen in other industries that have introduced competition.

Residential customers wishing to enroll in the Pilot Program need to follow a few basic steps:

Call or Click - Customers should call the toll-free Texas Electric Choice Answer Center at 1-866-PWR-4-TEX (1-866-797-4839), or visit the Texas Electric Choice website, www.powertochoose.org for a list of certified REPs.
Compare - By contacting one or more of the certified REPs, customers can obtain information on electric rates and services being offered during the Pilot Program. Customers should have their latest electric bill available. Customers should ask REPs for their "Electricity Facts Label," which provides information on prices, contract, sources of generation and emissions. This will allow customers to compare the offers of different REPs.
Choose - Once customers have compared service offerings, they should make an informed decision based on their needs and what matters most to them. Customers who participate in the Pilot Program need not contact their current utility about their decision to switch.

Customers may also want to consider an aggregator in their electricity purchasing decision. An aggregator is a person or organization that helps create an electricity-buying group by purchasing electricity in bulk. Aggregators may consist of existing organizations, or new groups formed just to buy electricity for their members. Aggregators must be registered with the PUC. A list may be obtained by visiting the Texas Electric Choice website at www.powertochoose.org, or by calling the toll-free answer center at 1-866-PWR-4-TEX (1-866-797-4839).

Only electric customers of Texas' investor-owned utilities, including American Electric Power (Central Power & Light, Southwestern Electric Power Company, West Texas Utilities), Entergy, Reliant Energy, Texas New Mexico Power, TXU Electric, TXU SESCO and Southwestern Public Service Company will be able to participate in the Texas Electric Choice program. Customers of El Paso Electric will not receive customer choice until January 1, 2005.

Municipally owned utilities and electric cooperatives can decide whether they want to give their customers a choice of providers, or keep things the way they are today.

Texas Electric Choice is brought to you by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. For more information about Texas Electric Choice, visit www.powertochoose.org, or call our answer center toll-free 1-866-PWR-4-TEX (866-797-4839). Educational materials will be available in English and Spanish, and alternative materials will be provided on the website for customers with visual impairments. Customers also can call our toll-free TDD number (877-864-5678).