Electricity
choice update
by
Ken Sidebottom, CEM, LEED AP
Click here
to read the original version of this article
.
This continuing
analysis of Retail Electric Providers (REPs) will help you in
North Texas
select the lowest cost and/or lowest polluting provider of
Electricity, if you are in a de-Regulated market served by Oncor
(Formerly TXU), AEP or Texas New-Mexico Power Transmission &
Distribution (Wires) Service companies. This includes most of the
homes (by percentage) in the most heavily populated
North Texas
counties and even more of them in the DFW Metroplex.
The information
provided is taken from the Powertochoose.com
website that can be used by anyone to assess the best provider
with only your zip code and a little time to devote to making a
better choice. Many people have never changed from their incumbent
utility and are probably paying more than they should. They are
certainly not getting cleaner 100% renewable energy options
available to them. The following summary comes from data
downloaded on 1/24/2008 but should be relatively accurate for the
near future (30-60 days).
Lowest Prices for
Electricity in Oncor (Formerly TXU)
Service
Territory
:
(Note: There are
nearly 100 options to choose from in my zip code of 75023)
| Rate
Type |
REP
Company |
Rate
(1500 kWh/Mo.) |
Cancel
Fee |
| Variable
(Monthly) |
Gexa
Energy* |
9.0
cents/kWh |
$0 |
| 100%
Renewable (Monthly) |
Gexa
Energy |
10.9
cents/kWh |
$0 |
| Fixed
(3-months) |
Amigo
Energy* |
10
cents/kWh |
$29.95 |
| Fixed
(6-months) |
Riverway
Power |
11.2
cents/kWh |
$150 |
| Fixed
(1-Yr) |
Ambit
Energy* |
10.9
cents/kWh |
$199 |
| Fixed
(2-Yr) |
Star
Tex Power* |
11.6
cents/kWh |
$150 |
| 100%
Renewable (1-Yr) |
Gexa
Energy |
11.6
cents/kWh |
$150 |
(*These produce
the State average pollution) The difference between the lowest
priced variable rate 100% Renewable “Green” energy and the
standard polluting electricity, is less than 2 cents per kWh.
Based on my annual use in my home of 2400 SF in
Plano
, that’s a $550/year or $46/Month cost premium to me. Not a
large price to pay for cleaner air.
The difference
for a one year fixed rate is only 0.7 cents per kWh. So the
premium in cost is reduced to only $203/year or $17/month. An even
better deal for eliminating our electricity’s carbon footprint
for one whole year. Plus you’ll no longer be contributing to
nuclear waste or to our
US
leading high emissions of Mercury, Sulfur Dioxide or Nitrous Oxide
and lung irritating Particulates in our normal mixture of
electricity generation plants. Remember………..it’s your
choice.
Ken
Sidebottom is a LEED Project Development Consultant for
Johnson Controls, in addition to serving as the 2008 Vice
Chair of the USGBC North Texas Chapter. For additional
information regarding this article, please contact Ken at
ken.e.sidebottom@jci.com.
All comments are the sole responsibility of the author.
This article was originally posted 2/26/08.
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