Power to Choose is the official electric choice program of Texas. The program is managed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and offers consumers living in Texas tools and information on energy choice options within deregulated areas of the state.
Power to Choose is one of the ways in which the state educates and helps consumers learn more about their deregulated energy options. It is also serves as one of the many resources consumers can use to find REPs.
PowertoChoose.org
PUCT hosts the official website for Power to Choose at PowertoChoose.org.
Much like Electric Choice, the Power To Choose website provides a platform to compare plans offered by various REPs in your area. You can filter by price, plan type (fixed-rate, variable-rate, green energy), contract length, and other criteria to find the best fit for you. You can also learn a little about energy providers. The Power to Choose website offers information about different REPs and their customer service ratings.
Industry Scorecard (Last Updated April 2024)
One of the resources Power to Choose offers consumers is an REP Industry Scorecard. REP stands for Retail Energy/Electricity Provider, which is the electric company that sends you your electric bill every month.
This Industry Scorecard is kept up to date and reveals the complaint score for each REP (marked out of 5 dots). If the electricity provider has 5 “dots,” it indicates that it has a very low complaint score.
Power to Save
Power to Save is an excellent example of the kinds of resources Power to Choose offers consumers. This website provides several pieces of information regarding electricity in Texas including,
Savings Calculator – This online tool allows consumers to determine how much money they can save by switching to an REP, or cutting back on energy consumption. Filling in various fields such as, average kWh usage and heating and cooling temperature estimates help to calculate results.
Energy Star Saving Tips – Energy Star provides Power to Save with an interactive tool that displays areas within a home. Clicking on the different areas within the home like, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and more will reveal energy saving tips that residential consumers can adopt and implement within their own living space.
Power Partners – This aspect of Power to Save is directed at small businesses looking for ways to save on their electricity bills. Becoming a Texas Power Partner means that the small business is willing to participate in conserving energy during peak times of the year.
About the Grid – Power to Save informs consumers about current grid conditions, which are based on the season. There are different stages of alerts including, normal conditions, conservation alert, power watch, power warning and power emergency. Based on the alert, consumers can discover different ways in which they can help to keep the grid in good condition throughout the year.
Partner Utilities – Electricity
There are 5 major utilities within the state of Texas. These utilities include:
It is important to check with your local utility before attempting to switch to an REP. Most areas of Texas operate under a deregulated energy market but there are still some areas that remain regulated (like Austin).
Texas Smart Meter
All five of the above mentioned utilities participate in the Texas Smart Meter Program, which is an affiliate of Texas Power to Choose.
Texas Smart Meter stores consumer electricity usage data using smart meters (also known as digital electric meters). The date is stored in 15-minute, monthly and daily intervals and is provided to consumers through what the program calls a “Green Button”. Overall, the Smart Meter allows consumers to share and have access to their usage information quickly and easily, which helps them to better understand and manage their electricity consumption.
Do Your Research: While Power To Choose is a valuable resource, it’s important to be an informed consumer. Some REPs might use introductory rates or hidden fees. Read plan details carefully and consider your electricity usage patterns when making your decision.
Not Available Statewide: Not all areas of Texas participate in electricity deregulation. You can check your zip code on Power To Choose to see if you have a choice of providers.
