Questions, answered plainly
Everything we get asked, without the hedging. If your question is not here, call and ask it.
- Phone
- 832-573-8546
- admin@texaskenergy.com
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:00am–6:00pm CT
- Cost of asking
- Nothing
About us
What exactly does an energy broker do?
Takes your account to multiple retail electric providers at once, with your real usage data, and reads the contracts that come back. You sign directly with the provider you choose — the broker is never a party to your supply contract.
What does it cost me?
Nothing. We are paid a per-kWh fee built into the supply contract by the provider you choose. We publish exactly how that works and the conflict of interest it creates on our how-we-get-paid page, because "free" on its own is not an honest answer.
Are you a retail electric provider?
No. Retail providers are licensed to sell electricity and hold your contract. CenterPoint is the utility and delivers it. We are the intermediary who takes your account to the providers and explains what comes back.
Are you registered with the state?
Yes. Texas requires electricity brokers to register with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and we are registered. Ask and we will send the details for your records.
Are you tied to a particular supplier?
No. We are independent and hold agreements with 25+ retail providers. We are not owned by, funded by, or exclusive to any of them.
Switching
Will my power be interrupted when I switch?
No. Switching is a billing change, not a physical one. CenterPoint still owns the meter and the wires and still delivers your power. Nobody visits the property and nothing is turned off.
How long does a switch take?
Usually one billing cycle — the change takes effect on your next scheduled meter read.
Do I need to contact my current provider?
No. The new provider submits the switch and your old account closes automatically on the changeover date. You will get a final bill from the old provider.
Can I switch mid-contract?
You can, but check the early termination fee first. Often the better move is to lock a new rate now with a start date the day your current contract ends.
Is there a cancellation window?
Yes — residential customers have three federal business days after enrolling to cancel a switch without penalty.
Rates and pricing
Why will you not publish your rates?
Because any published number would be one we could not honour. Texas supply prices move daily and depend on your usage pattern, location, credit and the day you sign. A rate on a website is either stale or a teaser attached to conditions nobody reads.
Can you lower my whole bill by a percentage?
No, and neither can anyone else. A meaningful share of every Houston bill is CenterPoint delivery charges and statutory taxes, both of which are regulated and identical across every supplier. We will tell you what proportion of your bill is actually in play before discussing savings.
What determines the rate I am offered?
Your load shape, your contract length, your business credit, the day you sign, your location within ERCOT, and the quality of the usage data presented. Two businesses on the same street with identical annual kWh can be quoted quite differently.
Should I take a fixed or a variable rate?
Fixed, for almost every household and most small businesses. What you are buying is budget certainty rather than a low average price. Index products suit organisations with financial tolerance and someone actively watching the market.
Specific situations
My contract expired and I did nothing. What now?
You are on a holdover or month-to-month rate — typically the most expensive product your supplier offers, and it can change monthly. The good news is there is no termination fee, so you can move on your next meter read. This is the most common and most fixable problem we find.
I rent. Can I choose my provider?
If the meter is in your name and you get a bill from a retail provider, yes. If your property bills electricity as an allocation or through submetering, you cannot — and we will tell you that rather than take an enrolment that cannot complete.
I am in The Woodlands and my neighbour can switch but I cannot. Why?
The Woodlands straddles a utility boundary. CenterPoint addresses have retail choice; Entergy Texas addresses are regulated and have none. The ESI ID on your bill settles it in about thirty seconds.
I have several business locations. Can they go on one contract?
Usually yes, though consolidation typically takes a cycle or two as each existing contract expires. The benefit is both pricing leverage from the combined volume and a single renewal date instead of several.
I am moving. What should I do?
If you are moving within deregulated Texas you can usually transfer your contract and avoid the termination fee — but check whether the plan still suits the new home, because a plan chosen for an apartment often prices badly for a house.
Still have a question?
We read what you are on now, take it to the providers we hold agreements with, and tell you whether it is worth moving. If it is not, we say so.