Are you moving to (or within) Houston? If so — good choice!
Houston is one of the largest cities in Texas with a lot of job opportunities, many of them within the energy industry. With over 5,000 companies dedicated to providing the best in energy services and related technology, it’s no wonder that over 2 million people are proud to call this Texas city home.
There are many other reasons why people decide to move to Houston, some of which include:
- Lower cost of living
- Higher quality of life
- Access to world-class museums
- Lower taxes
- Family friendly events
- Green space
- Diversity
- Great BBQ and Tex-Mex
- Great social activities and entertainment
- Warmer temperatures
If you’ve decided to move to (or within) Houston — there’s naturally a lot to get done in a short period of time — especially when it comes to your utilities and electric service. It can be easy to get overwhelmed with trying to figure out how to get service at your new home with all of the options provided by electricity deregulation, especially if you’re not familiar with the concept of deregulation.
Here’s a quick rundown on how to start, stop or transfer your electricity services to your new home in Houston.
Residential Electricity Options in Houston
With such a thriving energy industry, it’s no surprise that Houston has many options for residential consumers. For example, there are many companies to choose electricity from instead of two or three utilities (or in many cases one). Houston provides its consumers with options by operating a deregulated energy market.
This is something that isn’t available to all cities in Texas or even states within the US.
Energy deregulation is the technical term that refers to a slightly different way of selling electricity to consumers. In a regulated market, the utility manages all elements of the energy process. This means that they have control over:
- Transmission
- Delivery
- Maintenance of wires, poles and other equipment
- Supply
- Customer service
In a deregulated market such as Houston, the utility gives the supply part of the process over to entities known as Retail Energy Suppliers (REPs). These companies flood the market with competition because consumers get the option to choose who they want to provide them with this service. Even more control is given to the consumer because if they are unhappy with their supply services, they can simply switch to another REP. Therefore, it is in the REPs best interest to ensure that their rates are low and reasonable to attract and keep their customers.
Find a Retail Electricity Provider in Houston
Since there are so many REPs in Houston, the best place to start is by doing some research online on our site. We list electric rates and plans for Houston homes (and businesses, too!) from numerous providers. You can shop online by entering your zip code to sort/filter rates and plans to find the rate, term, etc., that best fits for you and your needs.
If you need help finding an energy provider in Houston, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Part of the process of selecting an REP has to do with the types of plans and services that REP offers. For example, if you don’t plan on living in Houston for more than several months (maybe a temporary job situation), you probably don’t want to sign up for a lengthy contract.
Other things you might want to consider include:
Fixed or Variable Rate: This decision depends on whether or not you want to sign-up for a contract for a particular length of time (think a couple of months to years). Fixed plans typically require you to lock in a rate for a predetermined length of time whereas variable plans change over time (even after just one month).
Option to Switch Plans: In general, you have the option to switch at any time. However, before you sign any contract with an REP, be sure to know the end date of that contract. Many REPs charge a termination fee that is applied if you want to switch to another REP before the contract officially ends.
Free Incentives (freebies!): Some REPs offer free incentives to entice consumers into signing up for services. In some cases, these incentives aren’t worth it, and end up increasing the total amount of your bill over time — so do your research (and a little bit of math)!
Pre-Paid Plans: Pre-paid plans are becoming a popular offer with REPs. The reason for this is because consumers can pay for the electricity they plan to consume upfront — like a calling card. While it’s true that some of these plans come with fees, many of them can come out cheaper for the consumer in the long run.
Additional Fees: Reading the fine print is something you should do regardless of what you are signing up for. Some REPs include hidden fees or additional fees like, early termination. You don’t want to be caught by surprise!
Getting Power Turned on in Houston
Whether you are moving down the street or from a different state, you need to know what to tell your utility and/or REP in order to get electricity in your new residence. There are three main options that you have:
- Transfer services
- Terminate services
- Start / Sign up for services
Transferring Electric Service
You don’t need to switch to a new REP if you are moving to another house within the same area of Houston. In this scenario it is a good idea to check your agreement or contract for the terms of service. The reason for this is because you need to know how much advanced notice you need to provide to your utility or REP in order to stop services at your current location. When ready, you can call your REP, who will require the following information:
- Planned Move Date
- Planned Move In Date
- New Address
- Account Number
- Any Account Changes
- Social Security Number (for identification)
Terminating Electric Service
In most cases, if you are moving away from your current area to Houston, you can terminate your services without any penalty if you provide your REP 30 days notice. Again, checking the details of your specific plan will help you to determine the correct process.
Starting Electric Service
The utilities in Houston will take care of delivering your electricity to your new home. If you have already done your research, a REP will provide your supply services. In general, signup is the same for any REP. They will require the following information:
- Move in Date
- Name and Rate of Selected Plan
- Social Security Number or Driver’s License
- Name
- Contact Information
- Date of Birth
- New Address
Typically, if you contact your new REP 5-7 dates prior to your move in date, you will have electricity working in your new residence.
General Information on Houston’s Energy Industry
One of the biggest reasons to moving to Houston is that it has a booming energy industry. While many cities or towns only have one or two utilities to choose from, Houston has many different options to choose from. When a city has a lot of energy options, consumers significantly benefit from the competitive market.
Fortune 500 Energy Companies
Houston, Texas has one of the largest energy sectors in the United States. A major player in the oil and gas industry, the city is home to a high number of fortune 500 companies. Currently, there are 24 fortune 500 companies in total including,
- Phillips 66
- Huntsman
- Sysco
- Cameron International
- Conoco Phillips
- EOG Resources
- Enterprise Products Partners
- Anadarko Petroleum
- Halliburton
- Quanta Services
- Plains GP Holdings
- CenterPoint Energy
- Baker Hughes
- Targa Resources
- National Oilwell Varco
- Apache
- Kinder Morgan
- Calpine
- Waste Management
- FMC Technologies
- Occidental Petroleum
- Marathon Oil
- Group 1 Automotive
- Spectra Energy
This list is only a sample of the biggest energy companies in Houston. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, it is estimated that there are over 5.000 businesses in the greater Houston area that provide energy-related services, tools, and products.
