Disclaimer :: Energy Ogre sponsored this article to provide energy-saving tips for Fort Worth Moms readers.
Whether you’ve just moved or have been here most of your life, Fort Worth is considered one of the best places to live based on its job market, cost of living, and hospitality.
Another perk? Fort Worth is part of Texas’ deregulated energy market — meaning you have the power to choose your electricity company.
What’s the Difference Between an REP and a TDSP?
We’re so glad you asked! An REP purchases electricity from wholesale suppliers and then sells it to us at retail prices. However, REPs have no part in delivering electricity to consumers as they don’t own or maintain any electricity infrastructure. A company called a transmission/distribution service provider (TDSP) owns and maintains those utility poles, power lines, meters, and other equipment responsible for delivering your electricity.
While you get to choose your REP in deregulated markets like Fort Worth, you don’t get to choose your TDSP. These are assigned based on the energy grid in your area so that they can get the electricity from plants to your home.
If you’re living in the DFW metroplex, you’re probably dependent on Oncor to receive your electricity. Oncor is the largest TDSP. It serves more than 10 million Texans and span more than 139,000 miles across the state.
ERCOT stands for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and it manages the operations of the electric grid. Oncor, on the other hand, is the utility provider that distributes the power from generating companies and manages the wires, poles, and transmission infrastructure.
Because TDSPs are responsible for the actual delivery of your electricity, they’re who you would call during a power outage. They are also the ones who will repair any damage to electricity infrastructure that occurs during a storm and should be able to provide you with a time estimate for when your power will come back on. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you should call Oncor in the case of a power outage or electrical failure.
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How to Shop for Electricity
Now that you understand a bit more about the sale and delivery of your electricity, you’re ready to start shopping.
The best part of Fort Worth’s power to choose is all the available options. However, there’s a big catch to this: The rates advertised on PowertoChoose.org aren’t necessarily the rates you’ll be paying, since REPs are allowed to advertise the lowest rate you’ll pay for your electricity rather than the average or the highest rate they’ll charge you. Additionally, these advertised rates on Power to Choose don’t account for added costs, hidden fees, and complicated billing calculations. Plus, because there are so many plans on Power to Choose, you can spend hours comparing each of them. Not only is this task frustrating and confusing — you can end up with a plan that doesn’t suit your specific needs.
If only there were a way to streamline the comparison process . . .
Oh, wait! That’s what we do at Energy Ogre. We’re big fans of the consumer’s power to choose, but we want to take the hassle out of that process. We’ll evaluate the available plans and find you the perfect one for your consumption needs.
Retail Electricity Providers
Finding the best energy provider varies from person to person. A provider that’s ideal for a family of five in a large 4,000 sqaure-feet house won’t be the best choice for a studio apartment.
There are so many retail electricity providers to choose from in Fort Worth, but we wanted to highlight the top three. Just remember—while these may be the most popular REPs, it doesn’t mean they’re your only options. The bigger REPs often have a reputation for being more expensive and exploitive, so make sure to read the fine print when comparing plans:
- Green Mountain Energy :: Created in 1997, Green Mountain Energy is a carbon-neutral company that prioritizes sustainability. It offers 100% clean energy plans for both homes and businesses.
- Reliant Energy :: Known for its customer support, Reliant offers electricity plans for every budget.
- Direct Energy :: Direct Energy is one of the largest REPs in North America.
Aside from the major three above, these are some of the other Fort Worth energy providers:
- Express Energy
- Frontier Utilities
- 4Change Energy
- Gexa Energy
- First Choice Power
- TriEagle Energy
- Chariot Energy
- Pulse Power
- TXU Energy
- Constellation
- Payless Power
- Discount Power
- Cirro
Types of Electricity Plans Available
There are several different plans to choose from, so we’re going to break down each of them:
- Flat Rate :: Also known as a fixed-rate plan, these offer you a price per kilowatt-hour that won’t fluctuate throughout your contract. It’s a safe and predictable choice.
- Variable Rate :: This is a month-to-month plan — meaning your rate changes monthly at the discrepancy of each REP with no other underlying factors determining what you pay.
- Prepaid Plans :: These plans let you decide how much money to put into your account to be used for electricity costs. You’ll receive daily communication so you’re aware how much energy you’re using versus how much money is left in your account. Plus, these types of electric companies in Fort Worth require no deposit upfront.
- Commercial Rate :: If you’re a business looking for the best Fort Worth commercial electricity, your REP should have options (similar to residential electricity plans) for you to choose from.
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What’s the Best Type of Electricity Plan for You?
As of April 2023, Fort Worth residents pay around $140 a month for electricity. Knowing that, there’s even more incentive to compare electric rates in Fort Worth, so you know you’re getting the best deal.
Answer: It depends! As we’ve said before, every person’s electricity needs will vary, and each household will consume different amounts of electricity. Because of this, it’s worth checking your meter usage, calculating your home’s square footage, and considering which high-power appliances you use the most. From there, you can begin comparing prices — or you can leave the hard work to us.
At Energy Ogre, we’ll assess your needs and find the plan that best suits you.
With Energy Ogre’s electricity savings calculator, you can know for sure. All you have to do is snag your most recent electric bill, fill in a few numbers, and voila! We’ll be able to show you how your plan compares to what’s currently available in your ZIP code, and you’ll see very clearly whether or not there are cheaper alternatives.
At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: The cheapest electricity plan. You can spend several frustrating hours comparing prices yourself . . . or you can let the experts at Energy Ogre handle your Texas electricity for you.
By Rebeca Santana. With zero financial ties to retail electricity providers, Energy Ogre evaluates thousands of plans to find the one that best aligns with your usage and will save you the most. No conflicts of interest, no confusing offers, no variable rates. Just fearless consumer advocacy. Follow Energy Ogre on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
