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“Five star rating from the Public Utility Commission of Texas,” the billboards scream. This summer we’ve seen three retail electricity providers (REPs) bragging on their 5-star rating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), just in the Houston area alone. Are 5-star ratings from the PUCT like 5-star reviews on Google? Not exactly.
In this article we break down what PUCT ratings are, and why we think they don’t matter much in your search for the best electricity provider.
Wondering how your electricity bill compares to those living in other states? Find information on your state’s average electricity price, typical monthly usage and electricity bill. Plus how to cut your costs.
Read More about Average Electricity Bill, Usage and Price per kWh by State (July 2025)
With energy bills climbing, consumers and business owners alike are looking for ways to cut back. One way to do this is to better understand your electricity usage.
Smart meters, installed by local utilities across Texas, can help you do that. Tap into Smart Meter Texas, the free website where you can access your meter information, to start your energy savings journey!
Read More about Smart Meter Texas – Information To Manage Your Electricity Usage
How much electricity a coffee maker uses varies based on the type and size. Drip coffee makers typically use between 550 and 1200 watts. Single-serve pod coffee makers (like Keurig or Nespresso) use 900 to 1500 watts of power. An automatic espresso machine uses up to 1500 watts.
Make yourself a cuppa and settle in to read more about how much power your cup of joe takes.
Read More about How Much Electricity Does a Coffee Maker Use?
If you’re looking to save on your electricity bill, the first step is knowing what uses the most electricity in a home. Understand your usage and you’ll know how to make energy saving (and money saving) changes.
Everyone knows about Texas summers. Hot, hot and more hot. We hit records in 2023 and 2024, both in temperature levels and duration of the heat.
Fewer think about Texas’ winter extremes. But as a former PUCT staff member told us, “The Texas grid is much more fragile in response to winter weather than it is to summer weather. Be prepared.”
You’ve heard about Thomas Edison and his lightbulb, as well as Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite experiment. And you may even think they invented electricity. But electricity as a concept and as a modern convenience has a more complex history extending over multiple centuries.
Read More about Who Invented Electricity? From Static Electricity to Today’s Electric Grid
When the lights are out in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, the most important question is, when will power be back on?
In this article, you’ll find the link for the Oncor power outage map, how to report your power outage, and how to find out when your lights will be back on. We’ll also review how to stay informed of potential storm damage and power outages near you.
Read More about Oncor Outage Map: When Will Power be Restored?
Ask any household, and they’ll tell you that a refrigerator is the center of their kitchen. It’s also one of the appliances driving your electricity bill according to the EIA, accounting for 6-7% of your household power usage. How much electricity does your refrigerator use, and just how much is it costing you? Let’s find out.
Read More about Calculating How Many Watts a Refrigerator Uses
Summer electricity peak demand in Texas is expected to grow nearly 80% in the next 10 years, from 85,464 MW in 2023 to a projected 153,230 MW in 2033. And no, electric vehicles aren’t the cause.
According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the entity responsible for managing the Texas grid, the three factors driving electricity demand in Texas are: artificial intelligence, hydrogen electrolysis and cryptocurrency mining.
