Compare Reliant Rates
Reliant has 8 electricity plans with rates starting at just 13.9 ¢/kwh with contract lengths of 12, and 24 months.
According to Reliant customer reviews, the best part about Reliant is 'Billing & Account Management' and the worst part is 'Likely to Recommend'.
Reliant achieved a rating of 4.1 out of 5 by Texas Electricity Ratings, earning them a Silver Tier Award.
Electricity Plan Reviews
Plan Comparison
Reliant Conservation 24 plan
- Our Rating: 5 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Relieant's Conservation 24 is a two year plan that encourages customers to use less energy. Customers often complain that electricity companies incent people to use more energy than less, and this plan actually gives those folks a legitimate choice to use less. The energy rates aren't all that great, but they're actually LOWER if users use less than 1,000 kWh of energy in a given month. The energy charge goes up when customers use more than 1k kWh, but not astronomically higher. Unlike most of Reliant's plans, this one does have a $5 a monthly recurring charge. As a 2 year plan it also has a $295 cancellation fee.
- Pros: Flat Rate that rewards less energy usage
- Cons: Not the lowest rate
- Plan Type: Tiered Rate
- Term: 24 Months
Reliant Basic Power 24 plan
- Our Rating: 4 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Reliant's Base Power 24 plan is a fairly straightforward electricity Plan. It's a 24 month plan, or two years, so it has a $295 cancellation fee. The Energy Charge is actually pretty low, definitely competitive with the current market. The only interesting thing is that it has a monthly recurring charge that changes depending on usage. If a customer uses less than 1,000 kWh a month, the charge is $9.99. If they use more than 1k kWh in a month, the base monthly charge is $0.00. It's a pretty good plan.
- Pros: Flat Rate, no Bill Surprises
- Cons: Sliding/Variable Monthly Usage Charge
- Plan Type: Fixed Rate
- Term: 24 Months
Reliant Conservation 12 plan
- Our Rating: 4 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Relieant's Conservation 12 is a one year plan that encourages customers to use less energy. Customers often complain that electricity companies dont incentivice customers to use less energy, but this plan actually gives those people a legitimate option that rewards them for consuming less electricity. The energy rates aren't all that great, but they're actually LOWER if users use less than 1,000 kWh of energy in a given month. The energy charge goes up when customers use more than 1k kWh, but not astronomically higher. Unlike most of Reliant's plans, this one does have a $5 a monthly recurring charge. As a 1 year plan it also has a $150 cancellation fee.
- Pros: Flat Rate that rewards less energy usage
- Cons: Not the lowest rate
- Plan Type: Tiered Rate
- Term: 12 Months
Reliant Power Savings 24 plan
- Our Rating: 3 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Reliant's Power Savings 24 is a fairly solid plan. It has a $50 bill credit that kicks in at 1,000 kWh of usage, which brings a fairly high energy charge down to something pretty competitive. Granted, it's a bill credit, so using less than 1k, or way more than 2k kWh will still result in some pretty high bills. But for the sweet spot of small home owners, that use over 1k, but not too much, this is a great plan. It also has no monthly recurring charge, which is nice. Plan does run for 2 years, though, and has a $295 cancellation fee if you break your contract.
- Pros: Has a $50 bill credit, no monthly recurring charge.
- Cons: High Energy Charge, bad for apartments.
- Plan Type: Bill Credit
- Term: 24 Months
Reliant Basic Power 12 plan
- Our Rating: 3 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Reliant's Base Power 12 plan is an easy to understand electricity Plan. It's a 12 month plan, or one year, so it has a $150 cancellation fee. The Energy Charge is actually pretty low, definitely competitive with the current market. The only interesting thing is that it has a monthly recurring charge that changes depending on usage. If a customer uses less than 1,000 kWh a month, the charge is $9.99. If they use more than 1k kWh in a month, the base monthly charge is $0.00. Not a bad plan.
- Pros: Flat Rate, no Bill Surprises
- Cons: Sliding/Variable Monthly Usage Charge
- Plan Type: Fixed Rate
- Term: 12 Months
Reliant Power Savings 12 plan
- Our Rating: 1 / 5 stars
- Our Review: Reliant's Power Savings 12 is a fairly solid plan. It has a $50 bill credit that kicks in at 1,000 kWh of usage, which brings a fairly high energy charge down to something somewhat competitive. Since it is a bill credit, so using less than 1k, or way more than 2k kWh will still result in some high bills. However, small home owners that use over 1k, but not too much more, this is a great plan. It also has no monthly recurring charge, which is nice. Plan runs for 1 years, though, and comes with $150 cancellation fee if you break your contract.
- Pros: Has a $50 bill credit, no monthly recurring charge.
- Cons: High Energy Charge, bad for apartments.
- Plan Type: Bill Credit
- Term: 12 Months
Plan Features
One size does NOT fit all. You have a lot of choices of plan types here in Texas. We've grouped up the plans from Reliant so you can shop for just the kinds of features you want.
Fixed Rates
These are the most common types of plans and provide the least surprises on your bills. When you use more, you'll pay more per month, and when you use less, you'll pay less per month. However, your average cost per kWh will likely remain fairly stable compared to bill credit plans.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
Bill Credit
These plans will usually give a credit on your bill when your usage falls within certain ranges. If you use more or less, your rate per kWh could be significantly higher than the rate you saw when you signed up. Be sure to read the EFL carefully and understand your usage before ordering these kinds of plans. You can find out more in our blog article about bill credit electricity plans.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Power Savings 12 plan | 12 | 15.4¢ - 21.7¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.7¢ |
Even Billing Plans
These plans will usually charge a fixed dollar amount on your bill when your usage falls within certain ranges or tiers. If you use more (or less) than the tier allows, your bill will jump up or down by a certain dollar amount. Be sure to read the EFL carefully and understand your usage before ordering these kinds of plans. These plans can be a good choice for someone who wants their bill to be the same exact amount each month.
Free Energy
These plans will cost much less but only during certain parts of the day or week. If you can adjust your usage to fall into the lower-cost periods, these can be a good choice. If you don't want to put off running appliances until certain parts of the day, these kinds of plans are not for you.
Reliant does not currently have any Free Energy offers available. Some Free Energy alternatives to consider are listed below.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amigo Energy | Weekends Free Plan - 12 | 12 | 16.1¢ - 18.0¢ |
| Amigo Energy | 100% Green Nights Free Plan - 36 | 36 | 16.1¢ - 18.0¢ |
| Amigo Energy | Weekends Free Plan - 24 | 24 | 16.1¢ - 18.0¢ |
Green Energy
Most providers offer some kind of green or renewable energy plan. These plans can help offset your carbon footprint which helps us all!
Reliant does not currently have any Green Energy offers available. Some Green Energy alternatives to consider are listed below.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amigo Energy | 100% Green Nights Free Plan - 36 | 36 | 16.1¢ - 18.0¢ |
| Chariot Energy | Solarize 24 | 24 | 14.1¢ - 15.7¢ |
| Chariot Energy | Solarize 36 | 36 | 14.0¢ - 15.6¢ |
Solar Buyback
If you have rooftop solar, you can benefit from a specific solar-buyback program, where the retailer monitors the amount of electricity your panels are feeding to the grid and pays you for each kWh you provide.
EV Charging
EVs are great, and because the charging cycles often happen during non-peak-load hours, some providers give a much lower rate for usage during those times. Remember, you'll have to coordinate your charging schedule to take advantage of these low rates.
Reliant does not currently have any EV Charging offers available. Some EV Charging alternatives to consider are listed below.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champion Energy Services | Free Weekends-24 | 24 | 14.3¢ - 15.9¢ |
| Champion Energy Services | EV Saver-12 | 12 | 13.5¢ - 15.1¢ |
| Gexa Energy | Gexa EV Saver 24 | 24 | 12.4¢ - 20.8¢ |
No Deposit
For credit-challenged consumers who don't want to put down a deposit to begin service, a prepaid (no deposit) plan can make a lot of sense. Instead of paying for your energy after you've used it, you pay before you use it. To start service, you'll need to load somewhere between $25 to $75 on your account. You'll typically pay more per kWh, but these plans usually have helpful apps and notices to help you manage your electricity usage and keep your costs under control.
Reliant does not have any plans in our category here, so below you will find some alternatives which we have reviewed.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payless Power | 12 Month | 12 | 14.7¢ - 21.7¢ |
| Payless Power | 6 Month | 6 | 14.2¢ - 21.2¢ |
Compare
Cheapest Rate
Sometimes the simplest approach is the best. Here is the lowest rate available from Reliant:
| Dallas | Houston | Abilene | Corpus | Midland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate @500kwh | 14.3¢ | 14.3¢ | 15.8¢ | 14.8¢ | 15.8¢ |
| Rate @1000kwh | 13.9¢ | 13.9¢ | 15.5¢ | 14.5¢ | 15.1¢ |
| Rate @2000kwh | 13.6¢ | 13.6¢ | 15.3¢ | 14.3¢ | 14.7¢ |
| Monthly Recurring Charge | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Early Termination Fee | 295 | 295 | 295 | 295 | 295 |
| Electricity Facts Label | EFL | EFL | EFL | EFL | EFL |
| Your Rights as a Customer | YRAAC | YRAAC | YRAAC | YRAAC | YRAAC |
| Terms of Service | TOS | TOS | TOS | TOS | TOS |
Cheapest Houston Rates
Here are the cheapest Houston rates from Reliant
| Plan | Term | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Power On 24 plan | 24/months | 13.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power On 12 plan | 12/months | 13.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24/months | 14.4¢/kWh |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12/months | 14.8¢/kWh |
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24/months | 14.8¢/kWh |
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12/months | 14.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24/months | 14.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power Savings 12 plan | 12/months | 15.4¢/kWh |
Cheapest Dallas Rates
Here are the cheapest Dallas rates from Reliant
| Plan | Term | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Power On 24 plan | 24/months | 13.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power On 12 plan | 12/months | 13.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24/months | 14.4¢/kWh |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12/months | 14.8¢/kWh |
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24/months | 14.8¢/kWh |
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12/months | 14.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24/months | 14.9¢/kWh |
| Reliant Power Savings 12 plan | 12/months | 15.4¢/kWh |
Other Cities
We have electricity rates by city if you are not in the Houston or Dallas area.
Highest Rated Plans
These plans represent solid choices for many energy consumers. We evaluate multiple criteria and determine which plans are likely to give a good customer experience for most customers.
Contract Term
Month To Month
Also known as no-contract plans, month-to-month plans don't require any long term commitment from you.
Typically this type of plan will come with a higher rate that can vary from one month to the next, but in return you'll not be charged an early termination fee if you cancel service.
Reliant does not currently have any plans with a term in this range. Below are some alternative providers who do.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXU Energy | Flex Forward | 1 | 17.5¢ - 22.9¢ |
| TXU Energy | On Your Terms | 1 | 17.5¢ - 22.9¢ |
3-8 Months
These plans can make a good choice for a short-term renter or student who expects to move for sure.
Reliant does not currently have any plans with a term in this range. Below are some alternative providers who do.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payless Power | 6 Month | 6 | 14.2¢ - 21.2¢ |
| Think Energy | Think Basic 8 | 8 | 11.3¢ - 21.2¢ |
| Rhythm | Simply Select 6 | 6 | 11.3¢ - 21.2¢ |
9-18 Months
These can be good choices for renters on one to two year leases, or homeowners who don't want to lock in a rate for too long.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 12 plan | 12 | 14.4¢ - 21.7¢ |
| Reliant Power On 12 plan | 12 | 13.6¢ - 21.7¢ |
19-36 Months
These plans often come with lower rates but will lock you into one provider for a longer time. If you're a homeowner and plan to stay put, this can be a good choice.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.7¢ |
| Reliant Power On 24 plan | 24 | 13.6¢ - 20.7¢ |
Buyer's Guides
Expert advice and information to help you evalute which Reliant option is best for you
Provider Comparison
Residential Electricity
For Apartments
Apartments typically use anywhere from 500-800 kWh per month. When apartment dwellers shop for electricity, they should focus on fixed-rate plans with low monthly recurring charges, and pay particular attention to the 500 kWh rate on the EFL. Also, most apartment consumers should match their contract term to their lease term so they don't get hit with early termination fees.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
For Typical Homes
Most medium size houses use about 1100-1700 kWh per month. Consumers in this group should use the 1000 kWh rate on the EFL as a guide for the actual rate they will end up paying. Bill Credit plans can make sense for these users, as well as free energy plans if you can move about 30% of your electricity usage to the off-peak times. The monthly recurring charge is not as important as it does not contribute a significant portion of your monthly bill. 12-24 month plans usually make sense for people in typical houses.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 12 plan | 12 | 15.4¢ - 21.7¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.7¢ |
For Large Homes
Customers in large homes probably use 1800-3500 kWh per month, especially if you have a hot tub, pool, electric vehicle, multiple air conditioners, and the like. Focus on the 2000 kWh usage rates shown in the EFL. If you look at a bill credit plan, make sure the credit does not go away if your usage goes over certain thresholds. Generally, longer term plans of 24-36 months are best for large consumers to smooth out price volatility.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Conservation 12 plan | 12 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 12 plan | 12 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.7¢ |
For Homeowners
Homeowners can benefit by choosing a longer term plan, say 24 to 36 months. This can help them lock in a steady rate over time.
| Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Reliant Basic Power 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.0¢ |
| Reliant Conservation 24 plan | 24 | 14.9¢ - 17.7¢ |
| Reliant Power Savings 24 plan | 24 | 14.4¢ - 20.7¢ |
For Renters
Renters should look for plans that fit their lease schedule - you don't want to try to get a good rate on a plan and then you move and are hit with an early termination fee.
Reliant does not have any plans in our category here, so below you will find some alternatives which we have reviewed.
| Provider | Plan name | Term | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4Change Energy | One Rate 12 | 12 | 15.0¢ - 18.5¢ |
| TXU Energy | Flex Forward | 1 | 17.5¢ - 22.9¢ |
| TXU Energy | Clear Deal 12 | 12 | 15.5¢ - 24.3¢ |
Commercial Electricity
When shopping for commercial electricity, it matters how big you are. Typical retail establishments will normally get a stock rate, while larger users can get a customized rate based on their usage.
For Retail Shops
Examples: Light commercial users like professional offices, pizza parlors, hair salons, and other retail shops with bills less than $1,000 per month
You can visit our Commercial Electricity Rates Page and get real-time rates for your business.
After you place your order, an agent will contact you if they can offer a better rate or a custom quote.
For Light Industry
Examples: Laundromats, Warehouses, small manufacturing plants, large repair shops with bills between $1,000 and $5,000 per month
We recommend you call our Light Commercial Broker at 844-678-5598. You could qualify for a better rate than you would get as a smaller consumer.
For Heavy Industry
Examples: Factories, business campuses, foundries, server farms with bills over $5,000 per month.
You need an expert to help you get the best deal as a larger, heavier electricity consumer.
Call 844-678-5598 to talk to our Heavy Industrial Broker and get a low-priced, accurate, customized quote that takes into account your special electricity consumption needs.
Company Reviews
Our Rating
Reliant has earned a X out of Y rating from Texas Electricity Ratings. Here are the details on our evaluation:
Coming Soon - summary table of ratings details.
Customer Reviews
You can check out actual customer reviews and find out what real customers think about Reliant.
Service
Customer Service
Phone Number
Reliant Customer Service: 866-748-4656
Chat
Account Login
Bill Pay
Commercial Customers
Contact our dedicated commercial electricity agents at 844-678-5598 if you are considering Reliant for your commercial or industrial electricity service.
How To
Place An Order
Switching to Reliant is easy and only takes a few minutes. Click on the plan or click the orange 'Check Availability' button, and you can complete the order online in our secure cart.
To order by phone, contact Reliant at 866-748-4656
Start Service
Credit Check
Generally, all providers in Texas will perform a soft credit check when you place your order to determine if they require a deposit to start service. This is a 'soft' credit check and does NOT count as a 'hard check' on your credit report and will not affect your credit score. Most providers require your social security number, and perhaps a birthdate to process your order. Some providers can use alternate forms of identification such as a drivers license.
Deposits
Deposit amounts vary by provider, typically running somewhere between $150 and $450. There are certain cases where the deposit requirement can be wiaved, but you will have to provide additional documentation. Once the deposit is waived or paid, your service will start. You will earn a small amount of interest on your deposit. After 12 months, if your payments have all been made on-time, the provider will usually credit your deposit to your account balance. If you have completed the contract and do not owe the provider an outstanding balance, they will refund your deposit by check.
Switching Providers
Switching your electricity supplier in Texas is really easy. You simply place an order online for the provider of your choice.
During the order process, you will be given the opportunity to choose a date for the switch to occur. Generally, you can switch on the next business day, or perhaps the current business day if it is before noon or so.
If you don't select a switch date, then the switch will occur at the convenience of the utility company, which will likely be within 3-5 days.
You do not need to contact your current supplier. All the arrangements will be handled by your new supplier. For more details, you can use our blog article on "Switching your electricity supplier".
Switch-Hold
A 'Switch Hold' on your meter means that the current supplier is preventing the meter from switching to another provider.
This is allowed by ERCOT so that people can't just run up a big bill with one provider, then switch to another provider and ditch the balance. Electric companies will typically lift the switch-hold automatically when the balance is paid.
Moving In
Starting service is not much harder than switching. If the address you are moving into has had electrical service, you'll simply place an online order and select a date you wish to begin service. Usually, you can start the next business day.
However, if there is an issue with the meter at your new address, or if the meter has not been installed, it may take several days to get a crew out to rectify the problem.
If you think there is a potential problem with your meter at the new address, you should contact the supplier you have signed up with. They can contact ERCOT and the utility company to verify what is needed in your specific case.
Transfer Service
If you move to another residence, you can generally transfer your existing plan to your new address.
Transferring service will help you avoid paying an early termination fee (ETF).
Simply contact your current provider and they can handle it over the phone. Sometimes, if you are moving to a different area of the state, your rate might change by a couple cents up or down. This is not the fault of the supplier, it's because in different areas of the state, the companies that handle the poles and wires charge different amounts based on local infrastructure costs.
Renew My Contract
If you are on a fixed length contract, the provider will contact you several weeks before the end of your term. Generally, they will present a few options for you to renew your contract.
If the offers that your exsiting provider has shown you are unsatisfactory, you can always switch to someone else. If you intend to do this, you should know your contract end date, and set your switch date to the new provider on or after that date, otherwise you could be charged an early termination fee (ETF). This could be as little as $20, or as high as $250 or even more, so you should select your switch date carefully.
Cancel Service
You can cancel your service with Reliant by contacting them and requesting what they will call a 'move out'.
A 'move-out' means that Reliant will inform ERCOT that they will no longer provide electricity for your meter. If the 'move-out' day comes, and you have not signed up with another provider, your electricity will get shut off.
If you cancel service before the end of your contract, you will likely be charged a cancellation fee.
Disconnect & Reconnect
A provider may disconnect your service for non-payment. They are required to give you notice. They are allowed to charge fees related to sending a disconnect notice, actually disconnecting your service, and reconnecting your service.
Report Outage
If your power is out, you should NOT contact Reliant. Instead, you should contact the company which is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure, poles and wires to your home.
Houston
Contact Centerpoint EnergyDallas
Contact ONCOROther Cities
Coming Soon
Billing
Estimate My Usage
We've created quite a few articles to help you understand electrical usage.
- Is it cheaper to keep my thermostat at one temperature?
- 2000 sq foot home electricity usage
- Apartment energy usage
- TV electricity usage
- Refrigerator Usage
- A/C power usage
Understand Your Bill
Early Termination Fee (ETF)
If you switch away from Reliant you will likely be charged an ETF (also known as a cancellation fee) unless you are on a month-to-month (no contract) plan.
These cancellation charges are allowed because Reliant has probably purchased electricity on the wholesale market to cover your expected usage, and if you leave, they are stuck with excess power that they have already paid for.
Late Charges
If you don't pay your bill by the due date, the provider is allowed to impose a late fee on your account. The late fee is limited to a percentage of your outstanding balance.
kWh (Kilowatt-Hours)
A 'kWh' or 'kilowatt-hour' is a measure of electricity usage. One 'kWh' is equal to a 1000 watt load operating for 1 hour. For example, a hair-dryer uses about 1200 watts of energy. If you divide the watts by 1000, you get kilowatts, so our hair dryer is using 1.2 kilowatts when running. Multiply 1.2 kW X 1 hour = 1.2 kWh. If your per-kWh electriciy rate is 15 cents, then running your hair dryer for an hour costs about 15 X 1.2 = 18 cents.
Average Bill
Most customers in Texas use about 1050-1400 kWh of electricity per month. According to various sources, the average electricity rate in Texas is about 11 cents. This would make the average Texas electricity bill about $115 to $154 per month.
Of course, if you have a higher electrical load than normal you will use more energy, and thus your bills can easily be higher than that. High load items would be things like a swimming pool or electric heat in the winter.
Your home size will have an impact on your usage. A smaller 600 sqft apartment might use 500-600 kWh, while an expansive 3,000 sqft. home could easily use 2,200 to 3,000 kWh.
Average Rate
Your bill will likely show an 'average rate per kWh' or some variation of that. The average rate is the total of your bill (including all fees and taxes) divided by your kWh usage. Generally, your average rate per kWh will be slightly higher when you use less electricity, because there are monthly fixed fees that don't change, so when you use less, the average goes up a bit. Don't confuse 'average rate' with your 'energy charge', which is the amount you are being charged specifically for the electricity you use, and is separate from fixed monthly customer fees.
Bill Period or Cycle
The dates this bill covers. Your Texas utility company will read the meter at their discretion. This will not always be a month or 30 days. If you are on a plan that has "monthly" fees, that fee will appear on your bill, regardless of how many days were within the period.
Energy Rate vs. Average Rate
the 'Energy Rate' is the price in cents that you pay your electricity provider for the actual electricity that you consumed. The 'Average Rate' is the total you paid for electricity service (including all TDSP fees, bill credits, taxes, etc) divided by the number of kWhs you used that month.
ESI ID (Electric Service Identifier)
This is the unique identifier of the electricity meter for your address. If you have multiple meters (one for the house, one for the shed) you will have multiple ESI IDs. Each ESI ID will generally get it's own bill, unless your current provider offers some sort of combined billing.
TDSP Fees
These are fees charged by your utility, and are present regardless of which electricity provider you have chosen.Fees are charged from the utility and are passed on to the retail electricity provider
TDSP fees can be a fixed charged per bill, or a variable charge based on how much electricity you used during that period. There are a few providers that offer "bundled" rates, which include these fees in their Energy Charge. In bundled rates, your actual average rate will not change during the course of your contract (assuming the plan has no monthly charge).
Some of the TDSP fees you may be charged are:
- Customer Charge
- Distribution Cost Recovery Factor
- Distribution System Charge
- Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor
- Metering Charge
- Nuclear Decommissioning Fee
- PUC Assessment
- System Restoration Charge
- Transition Charge (1-5)
- Transmission Cost Recovery Factor
- Transmission System Charge
The TDSP fees charged and their amounts will vary depending on which TDSP services your area. As of May 2018, Oncor has the lowest per-bill charge at $5.25, while AEP-North has the highest, at $10.53 per bill. TNMP has the lowest average usage charges, at around 3.3¢/kWh, and CenterPoint is the highest, around 4.1¢/kWh.
Electric companies generally have the same energy charge applied, no-matter which TDSP the plan is in. The difference in the TDSP fees are the reason the same plan can cost around a penny higher in CenterPoint vs TNMP.
FAQ
What do customers think about Reliant?
- That depends on who you ask. There will always be someone who feels wronged by a company, no matter how good they actually are. The average Reliant customer review is 1.2 / 5 stars. Keep in mind, consumers will go out of their way to complain far more often than they will to give praise.
About Reliant Energy
In 1999, Houston Industries Inc, parent company of Houston Lighting & Power Co., reorganized itself into Reliant Energy Inc. When Texas deregulated its energy market, Reliant Energy again reorganized, separating out CenterPoint (distribution), Texas Genco (electricity generation), and Reliant Energy (energy retailer). In 2009, New Jersey-based NRG purchased Reliant Energy.
Since then, the company has grown to be one of the largest electricity providers in Texas, serving over 1.5 million customers. It has gone on to win several prestigious business awards, including the 2019 Smart Energy Innovation award, the 2018 Better Business Bureau Education Foundation Pinnacle Award for ethics, excellence and quality in the workplace, and several customer experience awards.
Reliant Energy In The Community
Reliant has long been engaged in Texas community initiatives, supporting charitable causes from the Gulf Coast to the Panhandle that have included Junior Achievement, Literacy, scouting, and scholarships to name just a few. Reliant has also stepped up in times of trouble to help with relief for hurricanes, power for cooling centers, and other sorely-needed programs to help Texans rebuild after a disaster.
Begun in 2016, the Reliant Gives Vote Program lets Reliant Energy employees to support nonprofit organizations they feel are making a difference in their communities. In 2018, Reliant employees volunteered over 8,000 hours, and donated $3 million to more than 150 community programs across Texas. This year, 2019, has seen donations to Lunches of Love, Shriner's Hospital for Children, and Bo's Place, a bereavement center that helps children and families cope with the death of a loved one.
Reliant Customer Service and Community Outreach
Reliant is very sensitive to customers having financial difficulties or are facing a serious illness. Under certain circumstances, they allow extra time for customers to pay their bills, provided the customers discusses their situation with an agent in advance. Reliant also established their Community Assistance from Reliant Energy (CARE) program to provide payment assistance to qualified customers who have experienced an emergency or temporary hardship impacting their financial status. The program is funded in part by contributions from Reliant customers who can donate to it on their monthly bills. Reliant has long been a strong green energy proponent. It is one of a few Texas providers that will buy back surplus energy generated by a homes solar arrays.
Reliant also has long been engaged in Texas community initiatives which have included disaster relief for hurricanes, power for cooling centers, scholarships, and charity fund-raising events.