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Is Breaking Up Texas Muni Electric Utilities a Good Idea?

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Will Texas Muni Electric Utilities Break Up? Austin and San Antonio are pushing back on Gov. Abbott's call to break up their muni electric utilities. But are the savings real? Texans like doing things their own way, and that includes electricity. Most Texans can choose among competing light companies . However, more than 5 million people in Austin and San Antonio get power from city-owned utilities. Gov. Greg Abbott now wants to change that. He says opening these muni electric utilities to competition could lower bills and give customers the power to choose . Abbott says Austin and San Antonio customers could save up to 13% if they could shop for their power. He also says commercial users could save nearly 22%. He has not provided much detail on how he reached those figures. But, power retailers say the plan could have the opposite effect. What Does Abbott Want To Change? Abbott wants state lawmakers to let customers in cities with muni utilities choose their power provider. His p...
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Batch Zero Process Pauses to Mull Audits for Texas Data Centers

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Did Texas Data Centers Derail Batch Zero? State officials plan to audit Texas data centers in the Batch Zero process to learn more details about their energy use. Texas data centers have hit a roadblock. ERCOT has paused its Batch Zero process while state officials take a closer look at the huge number of projects seeking to connect to the grid. The review could affect future electricity prices , grid costs, and the pace of data center growth across Texas. The pause comes after ERCOT received an eye-popping amount of large-load requests. The queue now includes about 474 gigawatts of requests , most of them tied to data centers. That is more than five times ERCOT's record peak demand. However, a request to connect does not mean a project will actually get built. Why Did ERCOT Pause Batch Zero? Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to conduct a full review of data centers moving through the interconnection process. Until that work is done, new...
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Best No Gimmick Fixed Rate Electricity Plans

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Do You Want a No Gimmick Fixed Rate? Learn how no gimmick fixed rate plans may save you more depending on your yearly usuage habits. A no gimmick fixed rate plan can make it easier to understand your electric company bill. Instead of tracking bill credits or usage tiers, you simply pay the advertised energy rate plus delivery charges. Since Oncor delivers power across much of North Texas, customers in its service area have many fixed rate plans to choose from. The key, then, is just finding one with a low price and features that fit your needs. Many shoppers focus on the cheapest electricity advertised rate. However, that number does not always tell the whole story. Some plans include bill credits that only apply at certain usage levels. Others have pricing tiers that make your bill change from month to month. But, a true fixed rate plan avoids those surprises and gives you more predictable costs.   Why Fixed Rate Plans Are Easier To Understand A fixed rate plan keeps the energy...
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El Niño Alert! Shop the Five Cheapest 12 Month Electric Plans in Ft. Worth

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Are You Ready For The El Niño? El Niño is here! Learn what to look out for with Texas bill credit plans and how you can save more on your energy bills. An El Niño alert could affect more than just the weather this winter. It could also affect your Texas electricity bill. Many of the cheapest 12-month plans in Fort Worth offer large bill credits once you use 1,000 kWh in a month. Since Oncor delivers power across the area, many customers can choose from these plans. However, if a mild winter keeps your usage below that mark, those savings could disappear. El Niño and Your Winter Usage Texas often sees cooler and wetter weather during El Niño years. However, every El Niño is different. The powerful 2015–2016 " Godzilla El Niño ” brought above-average temps to much of Texas along with heavy rainfall and flooding. Some experts say this year's event will become another very strong El Niño, making it harder to predict exactly how winter wi...
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The Texas Data Center Boom Round Up

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What’s Happening With The Texas Data Center Boom? Texas consumers are worrying what 248 new data centers could do future electricity rates. The Texas data center boom is changing the state’s power needs at a rapid pace. These large computer facilities need huge amounts of power to run AI, cloud services, and other tech. An energy comparison shows just how large these projects can be, with some proposed sites needing as much power as millions of homes. At the same time, more Texans are asking if the benefits outweigh the costs. Texas has become a top location for data centers because of available land, business growth, and access to power. However, the rapid growth has created new concerns about electric rates, water use, and the impact on local folks.  Texas Data Centers Are Growing Fast At least 248 new projects are planned across Texas. If many of these data center projects move forward, they could greatly increase demand on the ERCOT grid. ERCOT estimates long-term ...
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Keep Cool Under Summer Heat Domes with These 9 Chill Tips

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Can You Cool Off Under Summer Heat Domes? Don't the next Texas heat dome burn up your wallet. Check out our 9 tips to help you chill this summer and save! Summer heat domes could make this one of the hottest summers in years. NOAA expects above-normal temperatures across much of the country. And that could mean higher cooling bills and more stress on the grid. As Texas power demand climbs, simple steps at home can help you stay cool while lowering your energy costs. Here are nine practical ways to beat the heat without breaking your budget. Understand Heat Domes And Block The Heat Before you can keep your home cool, it helps to know why summer heat domes make Texas feel so miserable . Keeping heat out of your home becomes just as important as cooling it down. How Heat Domes Work. A heat dome forms when strong high pressure traps hot, dry air over one area for days or even weeks. As a result, temps stay high, and nights do not cool off as much. Keep Sunlight Out. Close blinds an...
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Lock in the Cheapest Monthly Electric Bill in Houston

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Do You Want Houston’s Cheapest Monthly Electric Bill?  Shop Houston electric plans with the lowest monthly bill to make your your budget stretch further. You don’t have to be Ebenezer Scrooge to want a good bargain. Being in the Bayou City, you want the cheapest monthly electric bill in Houston. Of course, you do! Right now, the plans with the cheapest bills are remarkably similar. They’re all bill credit plans. With these, your electric provider knocks off a huge chunk of the cost once you reach a certain usage. They’re available in a wide range of contract lengths, so you can choose the one that suits your needs.   Three Plans From APG&E With dozens of plans to pick from, it is rare when one retailer has three of the best plans for the cheapest monthly electric bill. But that’s exactly where APG&E stands. Their Simple Saver Smart Credit plans come in 12-, 13-, and 24-month varieties. Each one offers a bill credit of $125 at 1,0...
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