Subdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 "Texas Electricity Deregulation Leads to Highest Prices in the Nation"From today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 First I found out that "Freedom isn't free". Now, I find out that "Free Market isn't free". No wonder Republicans are so in love with freedom and free markets. You can make a killing on both of them...well, as long as you're on the right side of the equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark F. Barnes Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Ahhhh the advatanges of being in a COOP!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 So, can they get wise and drop this deregulation nonsense? Like tomorrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 So, can they get wise and drop this deregulation nonsense? Like tomorrow?I believe the article indicated there is little/no appetite for revising the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheeats Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 We just got a $298 electric bill for our 2br, 1500 sq ft townhome. And that's WITH turning everything off during the day. The A/C? Off. Lights? Off. Computers? Off. Wanna know the best part? We're stuck in a community that submeters, so we have absolutely no choice in which electric company they use. The pros of being on a submetered rate (ooh! an extra $15 off our bill) don't outweigh the cons, IMO. Ain't life grand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Okay, something is very fishy. I just got a whopping electric bill (Ambit) for 1,440 kw/hrs. That is for the Sept 24 - Oct. 25 time period when the weather was a LOT cooler and I wasn't running a/c that much. I have asked other friends and relatives and they are saying they have huge, unexplained bills to. All of us have different providers.Can someone explain what is going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 ^Was your previous bill adjusted/estimated because of the hurricane? Maybe it was a re-adjustment now that actual reads can be taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 same here, but I knew it was coming because their September estimate was half what I read on the meter myself. On average the two months were normal, except for the slight rate bump I saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 same here, but I knew it was coming because their September estimate was half what I read on the meter myself. On average the two months were normal, except for the slight rate bump I saw.So I really shouldn't be all that alarmed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 So I really shouldn't be all that alarmed?Depends on what your previous bill was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 My September bill was an estimate, and when I checked my meter I saw that they estimated low. When the October bill arrived, it was bigger than September, but it was a correct reading. The 2 months combined are right where they should have been. When you get your October bill, go look at your meter to see if the reading on your bill is correct. If not, call your provider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 So I really shouldn't be all that alarmed? Depends on how your rates are structured. Many times, tbe first few hundred KWHs are billed at a lower rate than subsequent ones. If your KWH usage was overestimated, you may be paying a higher rate than you would be otherwise (even though the total KWH usage will be correct once an actual reading is taken.) Good luck arguing the point with your provider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Same kw hour charge. I called them and they said it was an estimated bill and the correction (if there is one) will be reflected on the November bill. I went ahead and paid it.Anyhow, I have another question. I am coming off Ambit's 1-year 10.94 cent per kw hour rate plan. It will expire November 20 and because of recent rate hikes all of the new rates are much higher. They obviously do not offer 10.94 cents any more.I'd like to know what kinds of rates people are getting and what should reasonably expect to pay for the next 12 month period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I'm with Spark, and my renewal was September 25. Kinda funny that I had to renew while my lights were still out. Their rates change daily, and I got a 6 month at 13.2 cents. The 12 month at the time was even higher. They are now at 13.6 for 6 months, but 13.2 for 12 months. That is about as good as you are going to find these days. Maybe a few 10ths here and there, but in the 13.5 range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I had 13.5 with Green Mountain but was not locked in. In June it was raised to 17.8 Oh well, I don't use much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Well, just got in the new bill. I was expecting a jump like macbro had, but there was none. I guess they estimated well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieEric Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Well, just got in the new bill. I was expecting a jump like macbro had, but there was none. I guess they estimated well.I must be the worst electricity provider selector (?) in the city. Had dynowatt, which worked great for a year and a half or so until they jacked up my rate to $.24/kwh or so over the summer. Then switched to Gexa b/c their month to month was much cheaper ($.16 at the time), and I figured I should go month to month since I assumed prices would come down. Well, apparently Gexa no longer offers month to month and is screwing over those who remain on it - my last bill went up to $.21/kwh!!! WTF? The best part is that dynowatt is back down around $.13/kwhAnyway, Gexa has a 6 month lock at $.135 or so, so I went ahead and took it. That will no doubt be a huge mistake on my part as well, but you can apparently switch to a longer term lock if prices come down more. Fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroMogul Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 First I found out that "Freedom isn't free".Now, I find out that "Free Market isn't free". No wonder Republicans are so in love with freedom and free markets. You can make a killing on both of them...well, as long as you're on the right side of the equation. Well, if you don't pay your $1.05 per kilowatt hour, who will? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Well, just got in the new bill. I was expecting a jump like macbro had, but there was none. I guess they estimated well.Lucky you! Just received my most recent bill from Reliant. The estimated usage is approximately three times what it normally runs this time of year (I've been in this apartment nearly eight years), and is about 50% higher than the highest monthly usage I've ever experienced here - and this is for a 28 day billing period. Bemused, to put it mildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 What I want to know is how does my bill go from $179 to $79... in one month? Seems like the electric company is just picking numbers out of the air and that's your bill for the month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northwood Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Here is the website to compare rates plans. This time of year seems to be the best for getting a long term rate (compared with spring and summer).http://www.powertochoose.org/_content/_compare/compare.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Well, apparently Gexa no longer offers month to month and is screwing over those who remain on it - my last bill went up to $.21/kwh!!! WTF? The best part is that dynowatt is back down around $.13/kwhAnyway, Gexa has a 6 month lock at $.135 or so, so I went ahead and took it. That will no doubt be a huge mistake on my part as well, but you can apparently switch to a longer term lock if prices come down more. FunI think this was a ploy by Gexa to try to force their customers into long term plans. I didn't take the bait and ended up switching to TXU's month to month plan. I filed a complaint with the PUC over this behavior by Gexa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Oh, but it deregulation has been deemed a success: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Oh, but it deregulation has been deemed a success: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Yes, it has been successful from the point of view of the energy providers. Funny that the article is written entirely from the viewpoint of the provider and not at all from the consumer perspective. Fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I'm in Kauai right now. They pay over 40 cents kwh. here! A bartender told me he pays $300/mo evern though he has solar hot water and gas for cooking and dryer. He told me that electric used to be cheap when the sugar plants were all operating because the reducers would put generated electric back on the grid. As each closed, they have migrated more-and-more to diesel. They have recently established a big wind farm here. All are hoping it helps with costs. Ah, the joys of living in paradise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 I'm in Kauai right now. OK, you can just stop right there . Surely you have a mai tai or something to distract you, while we sit here at home at home on a dull Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Oh, but it deregulation has been deemed a success: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Big surprise:Texas electricity rates soar under deregulationAUSTIN — In the decade since Texas deregulated its retail electricity market, rates have skyrocketed higher than any other state with such open competition, according to a report released today.Commissioned by the Cities Aggregation Power Project, a nonprofit coalition of Texas municipalities, the report found that residential electricity rates rose 64 percent between 1999 and 2007. Before that, Texans paid rates that were well below the national average, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.“Consumers have paid too much for too long under deregulation,” said Jay Doegey, chairman of the municipalities group that seeks to curb market abuses. “Instead of excuses or ignoring the problem, Texans deserve meaningful reform.”The Legislature passed a sweeping deregulation law in 1999 that sought to break down electric company monopolies and remove strict government control over retail electricity rates. The idea was to allow competitive market forces to drive down prices. The sponsor of the legislation, former Sen. David Sibley, acknowledges rates have gone up but said he still considers the bill a success.http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/6253903.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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