Rebecca Bridges, Author at ElectricityPlans

About Rebecca Bridges

Rebecca Bridges has worked in deregulated energy markets since 2001. As chief marketing officer for ElectricityPlans, she focuses on helping consumers save on their electricity bills and find the best electricity plans. Outside of work, Rebecca uses her marketing experience to support dog rescue and can often be found hiking or biking local trails.

Portable Generator for Hurricane Power Outages

Last Updated July 17, 2024

The hurricane season is just beginning. And Houston got hit by Category 1 Hurricane Beryl which took out 85% of the electricity customers in that city. Maybe it’s time for a portable generator for hurricane outages.

Here’s a quick look at our shopping process for a portable generator for a 1500 square foot 3 bedroom/2 bath ranch style home in Near Northwest Houston. Hopefully this will help you pick the right generator for your home as well.

Always work with a licensed and insured electrician and plumber when installing your portable generator. Also check local regulations in your area regarding permitting requirements.

Centerpoint Energy Outage Map: When Will Power Be Back On?

Last Updated July 15, 2024

If you live in the Houston area like us, you’re probably wondering, “when will the power be back on?” And you’re also wondering how to understand the CenterPoint outage map and its colored squiggles.

In this article, you’ll find the link for CenterPoint Energy’s outage map. Plus, we’ll show you how to use it.

Understanding ERCOT Conservation Alerts

Last Updated June 3, 2024

If you live in Texas, you’re familiar with energy conservation alerts. In 2023, ERCOT (Electricity Reliability Council of Texas) issued 13 requests for energy conservation. And 2024 is expected to have hotter than average temperatures, so the risk of energy conservation alerts is high! Use this guide to understand ERCOT’s energy conservation and energy emergency alerts.

Texas Coincident Peaks – Summer Demand

How your Texas business uses electricity this summer will impact your bill for the next year. Sounds dramatic. But it’s true.

If you have a demand meter, your peak demand charges for the next calendar year will be established during the grid’s highest demand days in a 4 month period.

In Texas, this is referred to as 4CP or 4 coincident peaks.

CenterPoint CoolSaver Free A/C Tune-Up

Taking care of your HVAC system is an important part of prepping your home for Texas’ summer heat. That’s why I signed up for a free CoolSaver A/C Tune-Up from Centerpoint Energy. Not only did I save $120 with this freebie, now I can be confident that my HVAC will keep me cool all season long.

In this article, you’ll find out about my experience with the CoolSaver A/C Tune-Up, what’s included and how you can get your free A/C tune-up in the Houston area.

Managing Your Commercial Electricity Contract

When you signed your commercial electricity contract, it included a list of meters and service addresses covered by the contract. It also included benchmark usage information (typically your historical usage) and clauses about penalties for material changes in usage.

All that comes into play when things change. Whether it’s an additional location, moving to a new location, adding new equipment or selling your business, material changes can have an impact on your electricity contract. This article will help you understand what to look for.

Pros & Cons of Moving to Texas

As someone who moved to Texas from New England I have some special insight into the pros & cons of moving to Texas. Take a look at our list and let us know what we’re missing!

What Electric Company Services my Address?

When you are moving, setting up utilities can be a hassle. Especially if it’s not clear what electric company serves your address. Here’s how to find your local electric company by address in Texas.

Summary: You can find your local electric company in Texas by using an ESID Lookup Tool (Electricity Service Identifier), updated daily. Just enter your address to look up your utility company. Plus you’ll see offers from retail electricity providers. Over 85% of Texas is deregulated, meaning you must shop for an electricity provider.

How Does Weather Affect Texas Electricity Rates?

Extreme weather in Texas has a significant impact on electricity prices in the state, since heating and cooling drives electricity usage.

Weather can significantly impact Texas electricity rates due to supply and demand. Warm weather drives high electricity usage for cooling homes and businesses. Cold weather extremes cause power usage to soar with demand for heat. And yet electricity supply has its limitations. Your best bet for electricity shopping is to avoid the seasonal extremes.

In this article we review how weather impacts both supply and demand, how weather impacts electricity prices and why fixed rate plans are your best protection against weather risks.

Cheapest Electricity Rates in Pennsylvania (July 2024)

Looking for the cheapest electricity rates in Pennsylvania? It’s no wonder. Standard offer rates from the utility change frequently. A fixed rate from a PA electricity supplier protects you against rate increases. And there are multiple offers that beat your current price to compare.

Cheapest electricity rates vary, but we update this article monthly to highlight your best bests for low prices.

Here is our recommendation on the cheapest electric suppliers in PA, and the best deals on electricity rates for July 2024.

Rebecca Bridges

About Rebecca Bridges

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