Texas Electricity Ratings

Can You Cool Your Home Without AC? This summer in Texas will be brutal. But if you reduce your AC use, you could save a lot of money. Find out how with these simple 7 ways. This year, May already feels like July. It’s going to be a long, hot summer. You want to blast the air conditioner, but your budget has other plans. You can’t cool your home without AC, but you can take steps for your system to use less power. Here are just a few of the best ways to cool your home without running up your Texas energy bill .  Block Out The Sun Close the drapes. Direct sunlight through your windows causes your indoor air to heat up. Shutting your curtains blocks some of the sun’s rays so they have less impact on your comfort.   Plant some trees. As trees grow taller, they block more sunlight from hitting your home. Shade cools the air around your home. Planting a tree may not lower your Texas electricity bill this year, but it’s a good investment for the futur...

Which Houston Constellation Plans Are Best? Houston electricity prices are rising with the summer temperatures. Check out these plans by Constellation, our Provider of the Month for June and save! Like a cluster of stars in the sky, Houston electricity retail provider Constellation has an array of plans for residential customers. And like a star, each plan has its own distinct features. However, most of this supplier’s current plans use bill credits or tiered rates in their pricing. These features can make it challenging to predict your home’s monthly power bill. Therefore, we’ll examine a few of the best priced Constellation plans for you to find one that works for you.   Tiered Power For Consistent Consumers Some Houston electricity providers have  stopped accepting  new customers because they can’t afford to offer competitive rates.  But, Constellation 's best priced plan, the 12 Month Flat Tier Product , boasts a very competitive 1...

Above Average Hurricane Season Predicted Forecasts from four major weather bureaus all confirm it's going to be a busy 2022 Texas hurricane season! The broiling Texas weather looks like it's going to run on until Memorial Day. And as anyone who has lived in Texas knows, that's just next door to hurricane season. Last year, Hurricanes Ida caused extensive damage to oil platforms and natural gas pipelines all over the Gulf of Mexico. And later, Hurricane Nicholas knocked out electricity in Houston and dumped over a foot of rain. So, the combination this summer of intense heat and intense storms has some Texas residents worried about what's store for the 2022 Hurricane Season. Back in early April, the following four weather companies released their early 2022 Hurricane predictions: Colorado State University Accuweather Weather Company Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will announce their forecast later this mon...

How Will the Electricity Supply Chain Map Help Texans? The Texas grid is big and complex. Learn about the map that could help grid managers avoid costly emergencies and keep power flowing to your home. You don’t have to be a member of The A-Team to love it when a plan comes together. Four state government entities with stakes in energy infrastructure developed the Electricity Supply Chain Map . Emergency managers can use this online Texas electricity map to help them set the best routes to get power to those who need it most. This could have headed off shutdowns at gas-fired plants during Winter Storm Uri two years ago.  Regulators made the map because of a new state law to help pinpoint power outages across the state. Managers use the map to identify important electricity supply sites. These supply sites help keep the power flowing on the Texas grid and manages must keep them online during critical times. They are the core of the Texas power system. Today’s map ...

Are Texas Electricity Rates Rising Faster Than Inflation? Find out why a combination of hot weather and high natural gas prices are raising electricity rates. Learn what to do if you're on a variable rate and how you can save money! Inflation has a lot of people on edge right now. The cost of goods and services has been on the rise. But people’s paychecks haven’t quite caught up. To boot, the cost of energy has been no exception. In fact, the Consumer Price Index for energy increased 11.1 percent in the 12 months before March 2022. To compare, all items measured went up by 8.5 percent. So, national electricity rates are rising faster than inflation.   Looking at a shorter time range, the Houston area Consumer Price Index for energy increased by 2.1 percent between the end of December 2021 and the end of February 2022. Most of the increase is tied to a 7.9-percent uptick in gasoline. Comparing over a one-year period, the overall Consumer Price Index rose by 7.8 pe...

How to Keep Your Cool In Spite of ERCOT's Warning Keep cool with your mom this hot Texas weekend plus find out how you can reduce your AC usage and save money with our 7 tips! Beginning on May 3, ERCOT has issued several warnings hot temperatures for this Mother's Day Weekend and beyond. According to one ABC weather forecast , "soaring temperatures that could either flirt with or break records this weekend." Hot temperatures and high electricity demand for air conditioning could start as early as Friday, May 6, at 3 pm and last until Saturday evening at 7 pm. High demand may return Tuesday, May 10 and last overnight to May 11. But even with inflation and rising energy supplier prices, the last thing anyone in Texas wants is to make their special lady sweaty and uncomfortable on their special day. So let's check out our 7 best ways to keep cool this Mother's Day. Not only will you save money by cutting your AC usage but your mom will thank you for it. ERCOT Em...