We want you to find the best electric providers in Spring Texas so we created the ultimate guide just for that purpose.
Spring Texas became a deregulated electric service market in 2002. Before this date electric service was ordered through one monopoly electric company.
If you are moving to Spring from an area in the country that does not offer electric choice you may not realize you can shop, compare, and find the cheapest electric provider in Spring Texas.
What to Expect With Spring Electric Rates
Electric Rates are put together in plans to choose from that are advertised with various bells and whistles. The electric providers will make their plan appear to be best by offering vacation rewards, etc. but when you go to cash them in they aren’t worth the print they spent to create them.
- Fixed Rates – These rates are the best because the price is stable for the whole term.
- Variable Rates – 61 % of people in Spring Texas forget to renew their electricity plan before it rolls over to an expired variable price. Variable prices drastically increase in price over a 3 – 5 month period squeezing out $350 – $2500 in profit margin to the electric provider from unsuspecting customers.
- Solar Buyback electric rate plans – If you have solar power in Spring Texas you may have been told the transformer is your battery and you can sell your power to the electric provider. Unfortunately even electric providers who offer a “solar buyback electricity plan” will not allow you to rollover your excess energy to the next month. If you create excess energy make sure you store it in backup batteries rather than give it away for free. You have a lean on your house from those panels and need to pay those off.
Video on Excess Solar Energy Not Allowed to Rollover
The electric rate plans people in Spring Texas complain the most about are the prepaid electricity plans. The pay as you go plan deducts money from your bank often to store money for future electric usage you haven’t used yet. Most people prefer to get a bill after they use a month of usage but prepay electric service does not work this way and the electric rates are much higher in price than traditional post-paid electric rate plans.
These rate plan descriptions are the fundamentals you need to know when going into the shopping process for an affordable electric provider in Spring Texas.
What to do When You Have a Power Outage
If your electricity goes out in Spring you will call CenterPoint Energy who will respond quickly to restore power. CenterPoint seems to always be more than adequately equipped to get power restored quickly. You can call CenterPoint Energy at: 1-800-227-1376
When Your Spring Energy Contract Expires
The benefits of living in a place with a monopoly electric utility is that your rate is always stable in price. In contrast if you live in Spring Texas you have to be vigilant to always renew your electric rate plan before the contract ends. Off contract rates go up in price so be sure to renew before expiration.
In Spring the summers are very hot so you will use most of your electricity cooling your home. To assist in spending less on energy make sure your attic is adequately insulated. Your Spring electric rate is another variable you have control over so be sure to use our compare tool to find the best electric provider in Spring.
We have vetted the Spring electric companies in our comparison tool and found them to be solid electric providers that offer clear trustworthy electric rate plans.
You can text us at 903-245-4989 and let us know when your contract expires and we will send out a text message reminder when your electricity account needs to be renewed so you can shop before you get switched to a variable price.
Variable prices go up anywhere from 23% – 250% after your fixed energy agreement expires. Many electric companies in Spring make their profit margin when your contract expires because over 60% of Spring residents forget to renew their plan before expiration. It’s common to see your rate go up steadily over a 3 – 5 month period once your contract expires. Don’t let this happen to you.
My Experience Finding Spring TX Electric Providers
I don’t live in Spring Texas but I do live in East Texas and the energy shopping tasks are very similar. I see the same competing electric providers that you see in Spring and the rate plans that are suspect.
I once ordered an electric rate plan that was part fixed and part indexed. The plan name was something I cannot remember anymore but it had the idea of stable and fixed. I saw my rate jump in price over 50% in less than 5 months.
The indexed rate didn’t seem to follow any energy index I could find and what I discovered is that Texas does not require electric providers to strictly follow an index. A rate plan like this can be indiscriminately raised and lowered.
I learned after that one experience that a fixed rate plan was the way to go for the future. As an energy consultant I still feel and believe the same way which is that a fixed rate will always be worth it.
Unless you have a short stay and don’t need to be locked into a contract with an early termination fee go with a fixed rate in Spring.
Be Careful With Variable Electric Rate Plans
Some variable plans are very tricky. For instance, there is one Spring electric rate plan that I saw a provider offer that had two different tiers of fixed rates in one plan.
The two teir scheme keeps your electric rate fixed within a certain threshold of electric usage. If you stay under 1,000 kWh you stay at one rate but if you go above that usage your rate increases.
It is hard to stay under a certain amount of electric usage and the providers know it and create these plans because it makes them money. Complex rate plans like this are better left alone.
Another plan gives you free nights and weekends but you pay a high rate during peak electric usage hours. What you will see is an electric bill that doesn’t save the average residence any money. One rate costs zero and the other rate is very high in price. These plans are a type of variable priced electricity plan although you are told what the tiered price will be in advance which is better than a provider indiscriminately raising the price on you.
Most variable plans indiscriminately go up and down at the whim of the electric provider and loosely follow an index. Just by having the word index in the rate plan you feel like you will save money but no one ever saves money on these plans.
People living in Spring Texas saw their variable electricity prices go up anywhere from 23 % – to over 400 % in 2021 and 2022.
Griddy Energy’s Variable Price Was 81 cents kWh (Annual Average)
As a kid I remember when my mom would drive to TXU Energy and pay the electric bill. The TXU Energy rate was always a stable rate that people could count on to be within a certain range.
In 2023 Spring electric rates can be fixed or variable and when the contract expires many fixed rates automatically become variable.
When your fixed electric rate rolls over after the contract ends and becomes a variable electric rate you can look at the data to see what to expect:
- 53% of Spring Texas electricity customers that did not renew in time and moved to a variable price saw their rate go up over 25% in less than 5 months. 42% of these customers saw their price increase over 50% after 6 – 12 months.
You give the electric provider in Spring all the profit margin they were needing when you do not renew your energy agreement in time.
Text me your contract end date and I will send you a reminder when it is time to renew and help you through the process. My number is 903-245-4989
Who Has the Best Electric Rates in Spring Texas
Another common advertising tactic I see is Spring electric providers leaving the TDSP charges off their advertised rates. The providers can’t do this on the Power To Choose website but they do it on their websites and other advertising channels.
If an electric provider in Spring needs to make a profit one way to do it is remove 3 – 4 cents from the electric rate they are selling you when trying to sign you up. The rate increases in price when you see your first electric bill because they just didn’t explain that the TDSP charges are pass through charges that come from CenterPoint Energy and were not included in the advertised rate. It’s true your electric provider is not responsible for the TDSP charges but simply passes them to you but they should disclose what the all-in electric rate will be which includes the TDSP charges that make up 3 – 4 cents of your rate.
How the Bait and Switch Rate Works
- A company could have one of the highest fixed electric rates at .15 cents per kWh for a 12 month term.
- They take off 4 cents from the 15 and their rate looks like it’s 11 cents per kWh.
- They sell you on that 11 cents rate when they came knocking at your door.
- You get your first bill and see your rate is really 15 cents. It’s at that point you realize you have been had.
Our compare tool shows you the all-in residential electric rate price including TDSP charges that are past through from CenterPoint Energy.
My Personal Experience Choosing an Electric Rate Plan
I wasn’t always an energy consultant and for a time I was picking electric service plans in the North Texas area for myself. I once picked an electric plan that followed an index. This indices plan is another way of saying a variable rate.
The first month the electric bill amount was good and I was happy with the plan. The 2nd month the rate went up a bit and I though the market must be up and I will just wait for the rate to come back down.
My rate continued creeping up in price until I had spent about $800 more than I ever should have. It was at this point I realized just how bad variable electricity plans can be.
Looking into how variable plans work I discovered that even a plan described as following an index can be raised and lowered indiscriminately and Texas allows this. A residential electric service customer in Spring who gets led astray by clever advertising and orders a variable plan like this may have a hard time recovering this money.
If you found yourself in a similar situation as I did please reach out and I may be able to help you file a complaint and get your Spring electric provider to resolve the issue and offer some type of refund. My number is 903-245-4989 and my name is Donny.
Electric rates in Texas are being predicted to make a dive back down in price in 2023 but it may not be for long. Lock in a fixed energy agreement for your Spring home or business while prices are at a dip.
The natural gas chart above shows you what the electric service market has done over the years as electricity rates closely match natural gas commodity charts. The chart above looks like prices are close to a support so now is good a time as most to lock-in your electric rate in Spring.
Transmission and Distribution Service Provider
The Transmission and Distribution charges are fees you pay for a company to maintain the electric service poles and wires that come to your home.
There are a lot of wires all over the city sending electricity to different places like your favorite restaurant and your home. If you take a look at your electric bill each month you will see the TDSP charges which in most of the country is around $30 – $50 of your bill.
Your TDSP charges are included as a part of your residential electric rate usually although some electric providers remove them on their ads only to show back up when you get your electric bill. Make sure to check the Electricity Facts Label if your Spring electric rate seems too low.
Always ask a sales person if the rate you are being quoted includes the TDSP charges.
CenterPoint Residential TDSP TAX breakdown:
- Customer charge – $1.62 per month
- Metering charge – $3.85 per month
- Transmission charge – .8439¢ per kWh
- Distribution charge – 1.6489¢ per kWh
Proposed future charges that CenterPoint wants to add to your bill have to go through the Texas government for approval.
Types of Plans You Can Choose
There are 3 basic electric service plans that electric providers in Spring Texas will offer.
Fixed
Fixed electric rate plans is a stable option that’s most popular because you can clearly budget what your electric bill will be each month. When your rate plan expires you will be put on a variable price so it is important to renew or change providers before this happens. Text me your contract end date and I will send you a reminder to go shopping again. My name is Donny and you can text me at 903-245-4989.
Variable
Variable electric service plans are so unpopular the governor of Connecticut outlawed them. In Spring Texas variable prices jumped up as much as 400% in 2021 for some people. I would stay away from these plans unless you need something temporary or will be moving soon and are trying to avoid paying an early termination penalty that comes with a fixed rate plan.
Prepaid Guaranteed No Deposit
Prepaid electric plans are chosen by a niche within the electric service consumer market. Usually low-income, students, people just starting out, bad credit or no credit customers apply for these pay as you go electric plans. In Spring Texas the prepay electricity provider will know immediately what your electricity usage from the smart meter. They will have you recharge your account when your dollar amount falls below a threshold. One of the biggest complaints with these plans is the annoyance of having to recharge the account often and the higher prices they charge compared to post-paid electric providers.
Average Electric Rates in Spring
The EIA from the U.S. government has reported on the average rates for Spring Texas. The average residential electric rate in Spring was 13.53¢ as of July 2022. For 2021 and 2022 Texas electric rates hit historically high prices. The average will likely go up in 2023.
Cheapest Price Electric Companies in Spring
Check to see who offers the cheapest rates in Spring and Houston area for your zip code.
Frequently Asked Questions in Regards to How to Compare Electric Rates in Spring, Texas
How do I pick the best electricity company in Spring
There is a document that the Texas state government enforces to be included with all electric rate plans. The document is called the EFL or Electricity Facts Label. Read this EFL document to know for sure that the rate you have been sold is as it seems to be. Sales people will advertise and tell you just about anything with little recourse so it is important to read the EFL so you know you have chosen the best electricity company in Spring rather than one that just has the best sales agents prepared to tell you what you want to hear.
How can I change electric providers in Spring?
You will not have to call your previous provider as ERCOT handles the switch and makes it impossible for you to ever be on two providers at the same time. There is one way you could be on two electric providers but you would need two electric meters and would need to have forgotten to switch one of the two over to the new electric provider. I have seen where the two meter situation occurred and the customer forgot they had a street light on its own meter.
Why So Many Spring Energy Companies?
Texas is a big area with a large population. We use a lot of energy in Texas because of air conditioning. Electric providers are making very large profits in the state so more and more electric providers open up business to compete and win some of that profit by executing their business better than the others. A good example of this is when TXU Energy’s parent company bought several successful electric companies that were taking so many customers from them from all the customer churn. Large energy brands in Texas have definitely felt the sting of competition.
How to change electric providers in Spring?
The state of Texas has the https://powertochoose.org website which shows just about all the electric providers and plans. The state must maintain an unbiased system which means all the plans are listed on the site. The large amount of choices has the negative consequence of funneling a lot of people into electric providers using bad business practices. The main way some of the bad actors get their customers into a bind is moving them off their introductory offer and over to a much higher electric plan without telling them as much. We recommend you use our compare tool on this site as we are energy consultant and have vetted our electric providers offered on this site.
Who do people trust to offer the best Spring electric rates?
The Analysis Group Economic – Financial, and Strategy Consultants, Economic Development Journal, and the Tyler Chamber of Commerce feature ElectricRates.com comparison website as a trusted source for consumers to use to shop for Flint electric rate plans close by.
Is electricity expensive in Spring?
In 2021 – 2022 electric rates went up dramatically in Spring Texas. The beginning of 2022 Spring electric rates have moved down in price. Compared to the rest of the country Spring has average electricity rates.
What company provides electric service in Spring?
CenterPoint delivers electric service over the poles and wires to your home and business in Spring. CenterPoint does not sell electric service but they do handle any power outages you may experience. For green energy please visit our voluntary sustainable energy offer.
Who has the cheapest electric rates in Spring?
Commercial electric rates are cheaper than residential rates so we have to go with a Texas business we signed up at 4.2 cents per kWh in 2022. If you are a Spring business you can be in our reverse auction to find the cheapest business electric rate. Visit our compare tool to see who is the cheapest today or contact us to use our more comprehensive reverse auction.
Popular Texas Cities Served by ElectricRates.com
We love the Houston area and live close by. It’s an honor to be able sell electric service in Spring and the surrounding Texas towns I grew up in.
Mabank Texas Electric Providers
Donny Eisenbach
Donny has been writing about the deregulated energy markets since early 2007. His knowledge has helped consumers lower their electricity cost.
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