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Note:
Electricity Texas is not your Texas electricity provider. We
are agents that represent Texas electric companies, helping you to
get cheaper electricity rates for your home or business. Electricity
Texas
does not maintain the electricity generation
into your home or business, please contact your
wires company/ TDSP (Transmission
Distribution Service Provider) located on your electric bill to
report problems with your electricity service or to report an
outage. You have the power to choose your Texas electric
company. Texas energy providers will compete for
your business - so exercise your power to choose
and select your electric service from a
competitive Texas electric company. ElectricityTX - Giving
Texans a Powerful Choice. You can order electric service online from
the following energy providers that we represent: TXU Energy, Accent Energy
/ Dynowatt, Cirro Energy, Champion Energy Services, Green
Mountain Energy, First Choice Power, StarTex Power, Gateway Energy, Bounce Energy
and others.
Texas lawmakers knew they were taking a big step
when they deregulated the Texas electricity
industry back in 2002. Although other states
deregulated their energy at roughly the same
time, some of those states are now considering
adding regulations back into the way their power
industry operates. Texas, however, has never
regretted its deregulation. While Texas
electricity transmission wires and poles in this
state are still regulated, there is no doubt
that retail and wholesale electricity will stay
competitive in Texas. In truth, the end of the
monopolies held by the electricity utilities has
resulted in many benefits for both consumers and
businesses. Texas lawmakers feel that the step
they took by deregulating the industry has made
the state stronger as a whole.
It is interesting to look at where the switches
in Texas energy companies are taking place.
Private residents are not really interested in
changing their retail electricity providers even
though they are offered prices that are
significantly lower than what they are currently
paying for Texas energy. The bigger businesses,
however, are clearly noticing the opportunities
to save money provided by electric deregulation.
The energy costs of some businesses range
between five and ten percent of their total
operating expenses. If companies can lower their
electricity costs by switching providers they
will save money in a way that previously was
unavailable. The potential savings open up an
impressive array of opportunities for these
businesses, including business expansion, hiring
new workers and additional operations.
All you have to think about is when you save
energy, you're actually cutting down the costs
of your Texas utility bill. This can be as easy
as looking around your home or business and
seeing what you can do to make the change. One
of the first options is to switch to fluorescent
light bulbs. We recommend going with the ones
that have the energy Star label because they are
more cost effective. Then of course just by
turning your lights off when you don't need to
use them can make a huge difference. So make it
a note to turn off the lights when you leave
your room. Even though the lighting is
probably the first thing you consider, there are
other ways to cut down on your electricity. A
great example of this is all the electronic
equipment in your home. Any time you have
something on standby you'll find that it is
draining electricity. So if you're not using
your computer for a bit, turn it off. The same
goes for DVD players, TVs, coffee machines, and
anything else that you notice is costing you
money. If they are all attached to a power
strip, turn the power strip off until you need
it again.
The windows in your home can also help you to
reduce electricity and save money. Throughout
the winter we recommend keeping the drapes and
shades closed throughout the night and then
opening them up during the day. This will allow
sunlight to enter the home and provide more
warmth, and cut down on your heating bill. If by
chance your windows have drafts, don't be afraid
to place plastic sheeting over them to keep it
out. During the summer months it would be
wise to switch to white lines or white backed
curtains. These will reflect the sun's rays and
keep your home cooler. We also recommend keeping
your curtains closed during the day on any
window that faces west or south. You can even go
as far as applying reflective or shade film
during the hot summer months.
There can be additional savings with your
cleaning appliances as well. Take the time to
shut off your dishwasher after a wash cycle and
towel dry the dishes instead. You also want to
only run the dishwasher when it's full. If there
are only a few in there, either wash them by
hand or wait until there is enough for a full
load. We also recommend doing the same thing
with your washer and dryer. Wasting electricity
on partial loads can be quite costly overtime.
Even if you take a quicker shower you can have a
monumental benefit under all costs. You may want
to turn on your hot water heater 120° or
insulate it so it won't kick on so often. Then
of course something that seems small like faucet
leaks need to be fixed right away. Over the
course of a year you can waste several gallons
of water if they aren't attended to properly.
Hopefully these small tips helped you realize
that just by doing the little things, you can
save tons of money on your energy costs. It's
all about becoming aware of what is and what is
not necessary. Each month when you get your
utility bill it will be a nice change to see it
much lower. Plus, you'll be doing your part to
conserve energy resources and protect our
planet. |
