Compare Corpus Christi Electricity Rates

Corpus Christi Electricity Rates

Contents

1 Corpus Christi Electricity Rates
2 AEP Texas Central
3 What is the difference between a Utility Company and a Retail Energy Provider?
4 What Happens at the end of my Energy Contract?
5 The Most Common Energy Rate Products
6 View by City
7 Clean Energy
8 Electricity Rates

Residential and business customers living in Corpus Christi have the choice to shop around for competitive electricity rates. Corpus Christi is one of the many cities in Texas that is located in a service area that is deregulated. Residents have no shortage of energy suppliers to choose from as Texas is home to well over a dozen competitive retail energy providers that provide energy services throughout the state as well as other parts of the country.

If you are new to Corpus Christi, then having to choose a retail energy provider (REP) might seem like a daunting task. However, Texas has been very successful with energy deregulation and now Texans enjoy some of the lowest energy prices in the country. Opening up the energy market to competition forces energy suppliers to compete with each other. This level of competition tends to push down prices as suppliers compete to earn your business.

Retail energy providers (REP) in Texas have to be registered with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) before they can provide services within the state. We make an effort to only work with top energy suppliers for all service areas we provide rates in.

AEP Texas Central

If you’re new to Corpus Christi, then you will notice the electric bill comes from AEP Texas Central. AEP Central is the utility company that operates in Corpus Christi. They are responsible for maintaining the lines and wires to safely deliver the electricity to the point of service. If you experience a power outage or any disruption of power, then AEP Central will be the company you need to contact.

What is the difference between a Utility Company and a Retail Energy Provider?

As mentioned above the main job of a utility company is to maintain the lines and wires to deliver the electricity. Given the nature of the power grid and the logistics involved in delivering the electricity, a customer in a given service area will not be able to select another utility company. The charges on the electric bill that you pay the utility company are known as the delivery charges.

A retail energy provider (REP) is responsible for generating or providing the electricity needed for a customer’s contract term. Choosing a retail energy provider gives the customer more options that include contract length and rate product type. These generation charges will show up on the electric bill and are also known as the supply charges.

When you decide to change retail energy providers, you can expect to receive one electric bill from the utility company. Both the delivery and supply charges will be incorporated into one electric bill. This method of billing is known as single billing.

What Happens at the end of my Energy Contract?

The most common contract term lengths for energy agreements are 12, 24, and 36 months. You may wonder what happens at the end of your contract term. It’s common for most energy suppliers to put the customer on a variable rate at the end of the original term. Once this happens, don’t be surprised to have the supply rate sharply increase. It is important to keep track of the expiration of the agreement so you can begin to shop around for a new supply rate.

When you switch energy providers, the switch from one energy provider to the other will be automatic. The new energy provider will notify AEP Central and the utility company will be responsible for overseeing the switch. It will be impossible to be billed by two separate energy suppliers at the same time!

The Most Common Energy Rate Products

The two most common rate product types offered by energy suppliers are the fixed-rate plans and variable rate plans. Fixed rates will not change during the duration of the contract. The fixed-rate plan is the most popular for obvious reasons. Most people don’t like surprises on the electric bill and fixed rates give customers the comfort of knowing exactly how much they will be paying each month. For those on a financial budget, this plan may be right for you. Controlling your energy usage will allow you to have a direct impact on your energy costs.

Variable-rate plans do exactly what they say. It is not uncommon for an energy supplier to lure a customer into a low introductory rate. Variable rates allow the energy supplier to change the rate each month based on their sole discretion. It is not uncommon for variable rates to slowly increase through the period of the contract. However, most variable-rate plans are month-to-month which means the customer can cancel anytime without a cancellation fee. The customer needs to read the Electricity Facts Label (EFL) before signing up for any rate plan.

Electric Rate Products	Pros	Cons
Fixed Rate	Remains fixed through duration of term Protects against market volatility Available to both commercial and residential customers	Might pay higher rate if energy market drops Comes with cancellation fee
Variable Rate	Most plans have no cancellation fees Available to both commercial and residential customers	Can easily double or triple in price Supplier can increase rate at their sole discretion
Index Rate	Historically lower than fixed rate plans Can be switched to a fixed rate plan without penalty Tied directly to the wholesale price of electricity	Exposure to market risk Only offered to large industrial size users
Renewable Energy Rates	A clean alternative solution Reliable source of power Available to both commercial and residential customers	You may pay a high premium More expensive than coal