Energy News Archives - Page 2 of 4

Electricity Bill Payment Scam – How to Avoid Getting Tricked

The electricity bill payment scam is on the rise in in Texas. Scammers will call you pretending to be from your light company and demand payment. They’ll threaten to turn your electricity off if you don’t pay right away.

To avoid an electricity bill payment scam, look for things that are out of the ordinary. If your electric company has never called you before to demand payment, and specified that you can only pay with a GreenDot card from Walgreens? It’s likely a scam.

Here’s how to tell an electricity bill payment scam from a real disconnection notice from your electricity company. And how to avoid getting ripped off.

How to Get Help Paying Electric Bill

With rising electricity costs, you may need help with your power bill. If you need help with your electric bill in Texas, there are three basic options.

Contact Your Electricity Provider: Your REP is the first point of contact if you need help paying your power bill in Texas. Working with them can give you a bill payment extension and keep you from being disconnected.
Call 211 Utility Assistance: Texas 211 is a central clearing house of resources. The 211 operator may be able to match you to available aid programs.
See if you qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): This program provides bill payment assistance for those on SSI or that earn less than 150% of the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines.

Below we provide additional information on each option. Plus ideas for bill payment help for those who are not low income.

Should I Install a Whole Home Generator?

Thinking about installing a whole house generator for your home on the Texas Gulf Coast? Good call. The Gulf Coast is prone to hurricanes, flooding and power outages.

A whole home generator can be a good value if it brings you peace of mind and convenience during power outages and emergencies. They can automatically activate when the power goes out, so you barely notice a power outage. But they can be expensive, costing $8,000-12,000 to install.

Here’s what you need to know about installing a whole house generator in Houston or elsewhere in Texas.

>Before purchasing a whole house generator, take a look at this article on portable generators for your home.

Columbus Ohio Renewable Energy and Carbon Neutral Programs

Columbus Ohio has the goal of 100% renewable energy by 2022 and carbon neutral by 2050. That’s a goal not only for the city facilities, but also for all residents and small business owners. Here’s our review of the Columbus Community Choice Aggregation Program for electricity, which is one step toward that goal. Plus we review your options to go green when you opt-out of aggregation. And, how you can go carbon neutral with your natural gas.

Liberty Power Bankruptcy – What Now?

Last Updated November 8, 2021

If Liberty Power supplies your residential or commercial power, you may need to shop for a new electricity contract soon.

Liberty Power declared bankruptcy on April 21, 2021. While some Liberty Power customers were acquired by NRG, many others are being returned to their utility or to the Provider of Last Resort as of the most recent court decisions in November 2021.

What you need to do depends on what type of customer you are (residential or commercial) and what state you are in. Here’s what you need to know if you’re a Liberty Power customer, and what to do next.

What’s Going On With Texas Electricity? February 2021

Last Updated October 14, 2022

What’s going on with Texas (ERCOT) electricity? And more importantly, why don’t I have lights?

Below we walk through what’s going on with Texas electricity during this brutal cold snap. We also have some ideas on why rolling blackouts have turned to 36+ hours without power in some areas.

Texas Electricity Trends for 2021

Last Updated January 24, 2022

With 2021, we expect to see low prices for long term plans and an increasing number of green energy electricity plans as Texas moves more and more generation to renewable energy.

Get current information with our Texas Electricity Trends for 2022 report.

Ohio COVID-19 Electricity Bill Payment Assistance

Last Updated April 14, 2020

Electricity bill payment assistance is a hot topic due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and business shut-down. Many consumers and small business owners in Ohio are concerned about paying their basic bills.

This list of FAQs covers some of the basics on Ohio electricity disconnection, payment plans and bill payment assistance.

Connecticut COVID-19 Electricity Bill Payment Assistance

Last Updated April 13, 2020

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) of Connecticut has issued a disconnection moratorium for all electricity service, as March 13, 2020. Here’s what that means for your electricity bill payment.

Texas COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program – Bill Payment Assistance

Last Updated January 10, 2024

Texas consumers have a new financial backstop to avoid electricity disconnection during the COVID-19 coronavirus quarantine.

If you need help paying bills, the Texas COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program can help. This program is designed to help those who can’t pay bills due to unemployment or economic hardship caused by COVID-19.

The Texas COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program officially ended on August 31, 2020. The information below provides the history on this program and recommendations for electricity service.

If you have trouble paying your electricity bill, contact your electricity company to work out a payment plan.

Energy News

We just need your ZIP code