Residents in Arlington, TX have the opportunity to save money on the electric bill by locking in a lower supply rate. Arlington electricity rates are among the lowest in the country. Texas passed legislation in 2002 that unbundled the responsibilities of the utility companies. This opened the door for competing electric suppliers to offer generation services at a lower price. Residential and commercial customers can now choose between different energy plans that were not available when the market was regulated. Allowing electric suppliers to compete will push down energy prices. When electric suppliers compete, the consumers win.

The city of Arlington is located between Fort Worth and Dallas and has a population of around 400,000. The city is home to the University of Texas at Arlington with a student population of just under 40,000. Just like most of the state, the climate is subtropical with hot summers and mild to cool winters.

Oncor is the Utility Company in Arlington

Oncor Utility Company

Oncor is the utility company in Arlington that is responsible for delivering the power to homes and businesses. This charge is known as the Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU) charge and represents the regulated section of the electric bill. Given the logistics involved with the power lines, it will be impossible for the customer to change to another utility company. The TDU charges are overseen by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Contact Oncor for Power Outages

If you recently changed to a new electric supplier, Oncor is still the company you will need to contact for any power outages. Thanks to advancements in technology, power outages can usually be detected and resolved within hours. However, if you do need to report an issue, Oncor will be there to fix it.

  • Oncor contact information: 1-888-313-4747

Delivery Charge vs. Supply Charge

If you’re new to energy deregulation, then you’re probably trying to figure out how it works. After all, in a regulated market, the utility company has a monopoly over both the delivery and supply charges. In a deregulated market the delivery (TDU) charge represents the regulated section of the electric bill, while the supply charge represents the deregulated section.

  • Delivery Charge – The TDU charge is the cost of delivering the electricity to the customers. As mentioned above, Oncor is the utility company in Arlington responsible for charging customers for the TDU charge. This is the regulated section, and the customer will not be able to choose another utility company.
  • Supply Charge – The supply charge represents the deregulated section and is the cost of generating the electricity the customer is estimated to use during the term of the agreement. In deregulated electricity markets, the consumers can shop around for a lower supply rate.

Choosing an Electric Supplier

When shopping for a retail electric supplier you may need to ask yourself a few questions. Energy companies can specialize in different energy plans so having a better understanding of these plans can save you a tremendous amount of money down the road. Texas has no shortage of energy companies so now is a great time to take advantage!

What is the Electricity Facts Label (EFL)?

Energy suppliers in Texas are required to provide their customers with the Electricity Facts Label (EFL). The EFL will lay out the details of the plan including the energy rate, term length, early cancellation provisions, and any other additional fees. The EFL is great for comparing different energy plans. To make sure you’re comparing apples-to-apples make sure to ask for the EFL.

Is There a Cancellation Fee?

Most energy plans will include an early cancellation fee. If you change electric suppliers before the initial term expires then you can be hit with a penalty. Early cancellation fees can come in the form of a flat fee or the supplier may charge a fee for every month that is leftover in the agreement. Some early cancellation fees can cost up to $300! The EFL will contain any early cancellation fee that is included in the energy plan.

Fixed Rates vs. Variable Rates

The two most common energy products are fixed and variable-rate plans. Choosing which rate plan is right for you depends on your risk tolerance. Fixed-rates put a ceiling on the price and will protect the customer during a rising market. However, if the market drops, the customer might be stuck paying a higher rate. Most fixed-rate plans come with an early cancellation fee.

Variable-rates can change on a month-to-month basis. Most variable rates can change at the sole discretion of the energy supplier. It’s not uncommon for an electric supplier to introduce a low introductory rate, then slowly increase it. Most variable-rate plans do not have an early cancellation fee allowing the customer to change energy suppliers without being penalized.

What Happens at the End of my Term?

Upon expiration of the initial term, most energy suppliers will change the rate to a month-to-month variable rate. Once this happens, don’t be surprised to have the electric bill double or even triple in a single billing period. It’s always a good idea to start shopping around for new energy plans a month before your current plan expires.

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