Power to Choose | Compare the Best Texas Electricity Rates

Power To Choose: What it is Powertochoose.org and What they aren't telling Texans

Unfortunately, over time The Power to Choose has been abused by providers who manipulate their prices to show specific prices at specific usage levels (500, 1000 and 2000 kWh.)

When Texas deregulated the Retail Electricity market in 1999, Texans were provided with Electric Choice and the PUC established the Power To Choose as an educational website to help consumers make better electricity choices.

Other providers launched promotional plans that start with low rates for 1-3 months then increase or double, while others use low introductory variable incentive rates, then increase your rates throughout the term of your contract.

Initially this was a good thing. The PUC fostered Texas Electric Choice, a competitive, head to head marketplace that featured flat rate products. And differentiations were based on low cost to serve, green energy support, term length and cash or reward incentives to switch.

Another problem with Power to Choose is that any licensed Texas electricity provider can promote their plans on the site, Regardless of their reputation, customer service complaints, PUC violations or BBB rating. There is NO CONTROL over which companies can list their products!

Shockingly, Variable Rate Plans seldom go down

There are quite a few suppliers whose only source of customers is the Power To Choose website. They woo you with an impossibly low rate, all the while knowing that they will jack your bill up with unfair fees and hidden charges to try to boost their profits! And if you try to talk to them, they skimp on customer service hoping you'll just hang up and pay your bill to keep the lights on.

What is The Power To Choose

The Scorecard Legend

●●●●● Lowest Complaint Rate

●●●●○ Lower than Average Rate of Complaints

●●●○○ Average Complaint Rate

●●○○○ Higher than Average Rate of Complaints

●○○○○ Highest Complaint Rate

The Power to Choose provides an easy way to shop for Texas electricity rates. Unfortunately it is often confusing and misleading. It's often referred to as "The Power to Confuse" as many Texas electricity companies use it as their primary source of electricity orders.

The one thing that the Texas power to choose provides is complaint data from the Texas PUC. This complaint data provides great insight into companies ability to accurately bill, and provide customer service in a timely manner.

Most complaints that the Texas PUC receives are billing related, which is different from the data that Texas Electricity Ratings uses. TER rates rank and reviews providers based on real-time data, prices, features, reviews from our users, 3rd party reviews, 3rd party data sources, surveys and real time plan analysis.

So, based on Power to Choose Scorecard who are the top ranked providers available on Texas Electricity Ratings. (as of May 2021)

About the Power to Choose Rating Scorecard:

The Power to Choose scorecard uses a five dot system to indicate where 5 dots = The Lowest Complaints per 1000 customers.

The Scorecard

The Scorecard Methodology:

REPs are scored into five groupings of approximately equal size based on a 6-month rolling average of complaint rates per 1,000 customer relative to other companies.

Signficant changes in the complaint score may occur from month-to-month for smaller REPs based on only a few complaints. This complaint scorecard should be viewed as only one measure of the customer service provided by REPs.

Please note the complaint score is based on a rolling 6-month average of the total number of informal complaints investigated, irrespective of whether or not the company was determined to be at fault or adequately resolved the customer's complaint. (Note - this means - the Count of Complaints - EVEN when the Provider is not liable)

In many cases, the PUC's informal complaint process adequately addresses the customer complaints with quick resolution by the REP. You may wish to also review other resources regarding a REP's customer service such as your local Better Business Bureau.