Each point of delivery receiving electricity (for example, a home, a business or a streetlight) is given a unique ESI number, often called the "Easy ID number." It's a 17- or 22-digit n [..]

Often referred to as renewable energy, alternative energy is energy that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat instead of carbon-based sources (like coa [..]

What our experts say: A flat fee applied each month regardless of the amount of kilowatts (kWh) used. Examples include the Base Charge, Customer Charge, or Meter Charge and these typically cover the c [..]

What our experts say: The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities. Carbon footprint is usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO [..]

What our experts say: A charge assessed to recover transmission and distribution service provider (TDSP) charges for non-securitized costs associated with the transition to competition.

What our experts say: A charge based on the rate at which electric energy is delivered to or by a system at a given instant, or averaged over a designed period, during the billing period.

What our experts say: Since 2002, electricity deregulation has meant there is a free market for Texas electricity, and many Texans are now able to choose who they buy their electricity from. Everyone& [..]

The agency responsible for the reliability and security of the state's power grid. ERCOT also administers customer switching for the millions of Texans in who live in competitive choice areas.

Think of this like a nutritional facts label for electricity plans. The EFL allows you to make an educated, apples-to-apples comparison between different plans. The EFL for each rate plan outlines the [..]

What our experts say: A charge based on the electric energy (kWh) consumed.