It has been nine years since Texas first deregulated their electricity market.  When lawmakers first started toying with the idea of electric choice, they believed that energy deregulation would result in lower energy prices for consumers, improved customer service, product innovation, and increased energy jobs.  Almost a decade after the start of deregulation and all of these proposed benefits have come true.  Customers have access to dozens of Texas residential electric rates.

Over two dozen electric companies offer service in some of the biggest cities in Texas such as Dallas.  People moving to Dallas can choose electric companies based on price, length of contract, green energy options, convenience factors such as online billing options, and promotional offers.

Here are some of the more popular electric companies in Dallas TX:

Bounce Energy has a low introductory offer, easy online bill pay and energy usage access, and great promotional offers.

Green Mountain Energy offers a variety of wind energy options for those who may be willing to spend a little extra in return for doing their part to help the environment.

Champion Energy has competitive rates to go along with their award winning customer service.

With one of the most active electricity choice markets in the World, Dallas is constantly seeing new electricity companies enter the market to give Dallas consumers even more energy options.

Electric rates in Texas are down to levels that have not been seen since 2002 when the electricity market first became deregulated.  The downward trend in electricity prices has been a result of falling natural gas prices throughout 2010.

Both residential and commercial electric customers are benefiting from the lower electric rates.  Residential customers are signing fixed electric rates in the $0.08 – $0.09 cents per KWh range, where previously they had been as high as $0.17.  If you haven’t checked your electric bill rate in awhile, now would be a good time.  Often if you remain with a provider for a long time without signing a contract, they will gradually raise the rate even if the market does not dictate that to happen.  Your bill should clearly state the rate (cents per KWh) that you are paying.  If the rate is above 9 cents and you are not in a contract, shop for a lower fixed electric rate.

Commercial electricity customers are seeing rates below $0.05 per KWh.  This is a huge drop off from where the electricity market was just two years ago when in was not abnormal to sign a fixed electricity contract above $0.09 per KWh.  The lower electric business rates have allowed many businesses to drastically cut down on their energy costs.

Bounce Energy is a Texas based electric company who focuses their marketing campaigns on savvy online users.  They offer a unique rewards program for many of their customers that rewards consumers who pay their bill on time.  Such rewards include free movie tickets, gift certificates to Target, bill credits, and even airline tickets.  Customers become eligible for more rewards the longer they use Bounce Energy as their electricity company.

Some of Bounce Energy offers include:

Low Introductory Variable Rate: $0.079 /KWh

12 Month Fix Your Rate for A year: $0.088/ KWh        MOST POPULAR!

*Rates are for Oncor Territory and are accurate for the posted date of this article.  For other utility areas, and to see if the rates have changed, click on the rate link.

To learn more about Bounce Energy’s Rewards Programs, click on one of the rate offers above.

Electricity customers in Dallas and the surrounding cities have more options with electric companies than ever before.  The electricity market is in full swing for commercial, industrial and residential energy users.

Due to low natural gas prices, residential customers are signing electricity agreements with electric companies at all time low rates.  However, many people are still over paying on their electric bill.  The main reason for the price discrepancy lies in the fact that just two short years ago electricity rates in Texas were at an all time high.  During those months in 2008 many customer signed electricity rate contracts at prices that were twice as high as they are today.  As many of those contracts expire, electric companies continue to charge the higher electric rates assuming that their customers will not shop for lower rates.

Customers that do shop and compare Dallas electric companies will find low electric rates that can cut their electric bill in half.  In order to attract customers some electric companies are offering other incentives on top of the low electricity rates

Here are some current low electric rate offers from Dallas Electric Companies (updated daily):

Electricity prices in Houston and its surrounding cities have dropped to low levels.  When Houston residences compare electric companies they can find fixed electric rates under 10 cents per kilowatt hour for up to twelve months or even lower electric rates for shorter terms.

Houston commercial electric rates are in the six cent per kilowatt hour range for one year terms.  Just two years ago many commercial electricity customers were signing fixed electric rate contracts above 10 cents.  Though current longer term contracts (24 and above) are a little higher than short term (12 months and under) rates, many businesses are signing longer term electricity contracts in order to protect themselves from the potential of rising electricity costs in the coming years.

The electricity market is unpredictable causing many commercial electricity customers to want to limit their risks by locking in the lowest electric rate they can for the longest period of time.  The alternative can be seeing their electric bills double in a very short time period.

Residential electric customers in Houston are taking the same strategy signing fixed electric rates for as long as electricity companies will allow, which is usually 24 months.

Here are the lowest electric rate offers that we found in the Houston area:

Centerpoint area –

If you are living in Texas and have noticed in recent months that your monthly electric bill has become higher, it may be time to start looking for a new electricity contract.  The reason for the recent upswing in your electricity bill may very well be due to the fact that your old electricity rate contract has expired.

The Texas electricity market is the most active deregulated electric market in the country.  However, what many Texas electric rate payers do not understand is what happens in many cases to their rates when their electric contract expires.

Usually a person will sign a fixed rate electric contract for a set term, for example twelve months.  When the contract expires, the electricity company chosen by the customer will continue to service the customer usually on a marked up rate.  The longer you go without signing a new contract, the greater the chance your rate will continue to rise.

Electricity customers have thousands of “rolling customers” on their books.   Rolling customers are customers who have expired contracts.  The electricity company continues to serve the customer but instead of charging a fixed rate, they are able to charge almost anything they want, as stipulated in the original contract.  At the point it become a game of economics for the electricity company.  They try to determine what the maximum rate is that they can get away charging you before you will look for a new competitive rate.

Right now electricity rates are very low.  If you are paying over 10 cents per kilowatt hour you should look into securing a lower fixed rate.  Champion Energy is offering low fixed electric rates below 9 cents for customers in Texas.

Recently, we helped customers who were previously with TXU get off of rates as high as 15 cents transferred onto fixed rates of 8.6 cents, a 43 percent savings; all because the customers had gotten “comfortable” with TXU who raised their rates over time to well above the current competitive electric rates.

Texas residential customers who have had their contracts expire could be paying too much on their monthly bills.  Nearly every competitive electric provider who offers term contracts has a clause built in that causes customers to stay with the provider after the contract has expired at rates determined by the supplier.  The business strategy for the electric providers is that a large enough percentage of their market share will forget to sign a new contract allowing them to up the rates to a premium.

Two summers ago, electric rates in Texas for twice as high as they are today due to higher natural gas prices.   Customers who signed fixed electric rate contracts during that time became customed to paying a high electric rate.  As these contracts expire, providers continue to charge the high rates hoping that their customers have forgotten that they can now shop for a lower rate.

If it has been awhile since you shopped the electricity competitive market we encourage you to see if your contract has expired.  Just because you are still receiving a bill from an electric provider you chose last year does not mean that you are still on contract.

For the lowest Texas residential electric rates today, email us with your city name and ask for rates.  As of this week, fixed rates have been found below $0.09 per kwh.  Many Reliant and TXU customers are paying over $0.15 per kwh.