For the Texas residential electric service customer you can choose from several available electric rate plans. There are renewable energy choices, no deposit options, fixed electric rates and variable Texas electric rates. The variable rate is only for the person who plans to moving or leaving their residence soon. The variable rate can increase in price and is not for the risk averse. The fixed electric rate is like insurance and locking in for 1 or 2 years is common practice among residential energy consumers in Texas. There are over 50 different residential electric providers in Texas and so the choice is significant. Not all electric companies offer a straightforward electric rate so it is important to know what things to watch out for in the terms and conditions of an energy contract.

When choosing a commercial electric rate it is important to consider how you use your electricity and what rate plans are available to meet your situation. An MCPE rate is good if your company is open all shifts and has a steady amount of usage during all shifts. You will stand to save 10's of thousands of dollars by utilizing this strategy. A large commercial facility may only be open certain shifts. In this case you could lock in certain time periods on a fixed electric rate and allow the rest to remain on MCPE. Heat rate as of right now is a bad option simply because the price is terrible as of Feb 2009. This could change but the point is you need to know your options and speak with an energy professional who can tell you what those choices are.

For large industrial facilities in Texas there are demand response programs that can allow a large Texas business to save thousands of dollars simply by having automation equipment set up to curtail demand only a few times a year. Many facilities shut down once a month anyway as protocol and for testing and so this EILS or LAAR program is basically free money for many businesses. An energy consulting company can go into your facility and determine if there are any devices that could be setup for the program. They work with your facilities manager to make sure production is not disturbed and that it makes economic sense to proceed. Many Texas industrial companies participate in the program and only an energy consultant and engineer can tell you if your facility meets the requirements to join this limited opportunity available through the Texas ERCOT grid.