Consumer Affairs Tabloid Keeping you in the “KNOW” 287- CITY Army Community Service Financial Readiness Branch February 2007 Texas Electric Choice Your Power Guide to Electric Choice www.powertochoose.org/powerguide/use.asp Shopping For Electricity You can now shop for electricity just as you do for groceries or other consumer products. To make shopping easier for you, the PUC requires all Retail Electric Providers to provide an Electricity Facts Label upon request. The Electricity Facts Label, similar to a nutrition label found on many food items, provides information on electricity prices, contract terms, sources of generation and emissions levels for each Retail Electric Provider offer. Choosing A Provider Call Or Click—Find out which Retail Electric Providers are serving your area by calling toll-free 1-866-PWR-4-TEX (1-866-797-4839), or visit the Texas Electric Choice website (www.powertochoose.org) and enter your ZIP code to view a list of providers in your area. Compare—Contact the Retail Electric Providers you are interested in and ask for their Electricity Facts Label. Check a recent electric bill to determine your approximate monthly usage. Visiting www.powertochoose.org will allow you to compare Retail Electric Provider offers more easily. Simply enter your ZIP code to view Electricity Facts Labels from providers serving your area. Choose—Once you have reviewed your options with individual Retail Electric Providers or compared offers online, and have determined the best service offering for you, simply contact the Retail Electric Provider of your choice. You do not need to contact your current Retail Electric Provider. Your new Retail Electric Provider will provide you with two important documents, a "Terms of Service", agreement or contract, and a "Your Rights as a Customer" disclosure, which outlines your customer protections as mandated by the PUC. From the Files of Fort Hood’s Consumer Affairs Office A few key points to remember * Not everyone lives in an area where they can choose electric providers. * The actual delivery of the electricity ("transmission and distribution") is still provided by your local utility, now called a local wires company. * Review your "Terms of Service" agreement carefully to make sure you fully understand your Retail Electric Provider’s contract terms, billing procedures, cancellation fees, deposit requirements and low-income discount information. * Your switch will happen on the next regularly scheduled meter read date, unless you request a special meter read. * You will continue to receive a bill from your old provider until your service is switched. Once your service is switched, it may take up to another month until your new provider issues you a bill. Back issues of the Consumer Affairs Tabloid are available on the Financial Readiness section of the ACS website at www.hoodmwr.com/acs. Have questions? Contact: melody.squires@us.army.mil 287-CITY (2489) Your Choice Worksheet www.powertochoose.org/yourchoice/worksheet.asp Shopping for a Retail Electric Provider can be easy. It helps to have your recent electric bill handy. The "Shop for an Electric Provider" worksheet helps you compare "apples to apples" and ask important questions about length of contracts, special incentives, deposits, cancellation policies and other items. To use this worksheet, download both the Electricity Facts Label and the Terms of Service agreement from each retail electric provider you are considering to compare offers. This information will help you determine which electric provider best meets your needs. Comparing Retail Electric Providers Retail Electric Retail Electric Provider A Provider B Name of REP ____________ ____________ What is the price per kilowatt-hour? ____________ ____________ Is the price fixed, or does it change? ____________ ____________ Is the price per kilowatt-hour affected by how much electricity I use or when I use it? ____________ ____________ Will I be required to sign a contract? If so, for how long? ____________ ____________ Is there a membership fee or any other fee? ____________ ____________ Is there a cancellation fee if I change my mind? ____________ ____________ Is there a customer incentive for signing up? ____________ ____________ Are any other services offered in addition to electric service? ____________ ____________ What happens when my contract expires? ____________ ____________ How to read your Electricity Fact Label www.powertochoose.org/publications/efl_brochure.pdf Understanding Charges on your Phone and Electric Bills www.puc.state.tx.us/ocp/electric/elecfacts/T&Ebills.pdf