What happens if I have an emergency or power outage?

Contacting your local TDSP (meter, wires and poles) company is the fastest way to get a response to an emergency or power outage situation, because regardless of which Retail Electric Provider you choose, your TDSP company is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the equipment designed to flow power to your service location.  Please check your bill for the TDSP that covers your area.  For reference, listed below are the TDSP contact numbers:

Dallas/Ft. Worth and surrounding areas

Houston and surrounding areas

South Texas

West Texas

Sharyland

Illinois

Nueces Service Area

 

Why should I request a free price quote from Credo Energy?

(i) You’ll get savings customized to your home or business.
           
Every business has unique needs.  That’s why we provide a customized quote that is based on your actual usage and demand. 

As an electricity broker and aggregator, Credo Energy™ has the flexibility to look at a wide variety of Retail Electric Providers in the industry and find the best prices and products available across the entire market to fit your individual needs.  Credo Energy also has the ability to join two or more customers into a single purchasing unit to negotiate the purchase of electricity on behalf of a customer group and receive more favorable pricing. 

Alternatively, customers who have worked directly with a Retail Electric Provider often find limited pricing and product options available from the single provider, as well as might be unable to receive lower available pricing from not being allowed to join two or more customers into a single purchasing unit.     

It cost you absolutely nothing for Credo Energy to shop for the best electricity company, pricing, and products for your company or home.  We are often able to lower our customer’s electricity costs by 20% to 30% or more.  We have negotiated agreements to offer our business clients lower electricity costs with a wide variety of Retail Electric Providers than what is published for their retail pricing. 

(ii)  You’ll get products that make sense.

Low prices equal savings on electricity for your business.  It’s that simple.  Plus, we have products available that can provide:

• Protection from price increases.
• Simple, flat-rate pricing with no seasonal price fluctuations – you pay the same price even during the high usage summer months.
• Easy to understand contracts with full disclosure.

(iii)  It’s a risk-free decision. 

Everything stays the same except the company you purchase your electricity from.

• Your electricity will still be delivered over the same power lines; no installation is required.
• There’s no interruption in your service when you switch.
• You’ll get the same priority service during outages and emergencies from your local utility company.

What is a Retail Electric Provider (“REP”)?

A Retail Electric Provider (REP) is a company registered with the state through the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to sell energy directly to the public. 

What is an Aggregator?

An Aggregator joins two or more customers into a single purchasing unit to negotiate the purchase of electricity on behalf of a customer group.  An Aggregator conducts research on electricity prices, contract terms and conditions, and other services that their customers want, and recommends a Retail Electric Provider. Aggregators may also monitor electricity that customers use through an electric load profile, which shows what months, days of the week, and times of day their group tends to use electricity.

You could save even more money by becoming a part of the Credo Energy Monthly Electric Aggregation Program. By pooling up a group of individual businesses monthly bills together, that new group is usually able to command a lower electric price; hence benefitting every business in that electric aggregation group.

How does electric aggregation work?

For every month or other designated time period, Credo Energy can combine all businesses that have opted in to the Credo Energy Electric Aggregation Program and shop one big bulk energy package to the retail electric providers. For example, let’s assume that your company spends $1,000 a month on electricity and opts in as part of the monthly electric aggregation program and during this monthly period 499 other companies opt in to the monthly electric aggregation program with monthly electric bills of $1,000. You now have a pool of 500 companies with a $500,000 monthly bulk electric energy order to the electric providers which can provide additional significant savings.

*When you fill out the Free Cost Analysis Request Form, please express your interest in electric aggregation.

Is there a chance I will lose power when I switch Retail Electric Providers?

No, there will be no interruption of service if you change Retail Electric Providers.

Will I still get the same reliable electric service to my home or business?

Yes.  It’s important to know that the local Transmission Distribution Service Provider (“TDSP”) will still deliver the electricity to your home or business.  Existing power lines and meters will stay in place and continue to be maintained by the local TDSP.  The Public Utility Commission protected the consumers, requiring that the TDSP provide the same level of service to homes and businesses in their service area, regardless of where you buy your electricity.

How long does the switch take?

A standard switch takes up to four to six weeks because it works with your regular meter cycle.  You will still get at least one more bill from your current provider.  This timeframe is standard with all Retail Electric Providers.  Off cycle switches are available for a fee.  Off cycle switches still take up to fifteen to eighteen calendar days.  

How is electricity measured?

Electric power is a secondary energy source, which means that we get it from the conversion of other primary sources of energy — like coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power and other natural sources. The energy sources we use to make electricity can be renewable or non-renewable, but electricity itself is neither renewable nor non-renewable.

Electricity is measured in units of power, called watts. It was named to honor James Watt, the inventor of the steam engine.

One watt is a small amount of power. It would require nearly 750 watts to equal one horsepower. A kilowatt represents 1,000 watts. A kilowatt hour (kWh) is equal to the energy of 1,000 watts working for one hour. The amount of electricity a power plant generates or a customer uses over a period of time is measured in kilowatt hours.

Kilowatt hours are determined by multiplying the number of kilowatts required by the number of hours of use. For example: A 40-watt light bulb used 5 hours a day uses 200 watts of power, or 0.2 kilowatthours of electrical energy.

Who reads my meter?

Your local utility company reads your meter and transmits this information to you Retail Electric Provider. 

How do I read my electricity meter?

Your electricity meter measures the amount of electricity you use in kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, a 100-watt light bulb burning for 10 hours uses one-kilowatt hour.

Reading your meter often, along with careful observation of the weather and the appliances you use, can help you manage energy consumption and evaluate the effectiveness of your appliances. By noting high-consumption activities, such as air conditioning in the summer, you’ll be able to determine where your energy dollars are going. It’s also the best way to know exactly how much electricity you’re using — and how much your energy-saving measures are reducing your electricity usage.

What Are The Types of Meters Available?

There are typically two types of electricity meters: dial and digital. With a little practice, both are fairly easy to read and understand.

Digital Meters
With digital meters, all you have to do is read the meter like the mileage odometer in your car. Every time the number increases, that's another kilowatt-hour used.

Dial Meters
Each dial on this meter represents one digit in the total number of kilowatt-hours you've used since the last time your meter was read. Most meters have five dials with 10 numbers and a pointer that turns when electricity is being used. Look closely, and you'll see that the numbers go around the face clockwise on some of the dials, and counter-clockwise on every other dial.

How to Read your Meter?

Read the dials starting with the meter on the far right and ending with the far left, writing down the numbers in the same order.  Write down the number that each hand has just passed. Remember that some dials have counterclockwise numbers and every other meter has clockwise numbers.  If a hand is directly on a number, look at the dial to its immediate right. If that hand has just passed zero, write down the number that the left meter is pointing to. If that hand has not passed zero, write down the last number that the meter on the left has passed.

Making Sense of Your Meter Reading
Once you’ve learned how to read your meter, it's easy to figure out how much electricity you've used since your last electric bill.

• Look at last month’s electric bill to find the recorded reading.
• Subtract last month's reading from the number you just took off your meter.
• The result is the total number of kilowatt-hours you've used since your last reading.

Total Days Between Readings May Vary
Your meter is read once a month. Because of weekends, holidays or the length of the month, the total days between each meter reading may vary. This is why it’s possible for your monthly usage to increase or decrease from the previous billing period even though your average daily use remains the same.

Is there a type of electric meter I can obtain that can be read from the street?

Yes. Offsite Meter Reading (OMR) uses radio-equipped handheld computers to read module-equipped electric meters via radio without the need to directly access the meter or customer premise.
Some of the advantages of OMR meters include:

• Improved meter reading accuracy
• Eliminates denial of access issues caused by hard-to-reach meters due to gates, pets in the yard, etc.
• Meter reader does not have to enter your yard to read the meter

What happens when my contract period expires?

You have the choice to enter into another fixed energy rate contract at current rates, or the account will go into month to month status with the current variable rate.  We will attempt to send you a notice reminding you to renew but be assured that your service will not be automatically terminated simply because your contract period expires. 

Can I change the date my meter is read?

The changing of meter read dates is typically reserved for larger commercial users and is not allowed by residential customers. 

What is the Electricity Facts Label?

An information sheet that provides customers with information on a Retail Electric Provider’s prices, contracts, sources of power generation and emissions, to allow customers to make apples-to-apples comparisons of offers.

If I live in an apartment, can I select a new electric provider?

If you currently pay your own electricity bill, you can select a new electric provider.

If I switch, will I be given a lower priority if there is a power outage?

No.  The job of restoring service after a power outage will remain the responsibility of the local wires company.  The local wires company must respond to all reported outages on a non-preferential basis.  To ensure this happens, the local wires company will continue to be regulated by the Public Utility Commission, and the Public Utility Commission will ensure that all customers receive the same level of services as they have always received.  In most cases, the service technician will not even know who the electric provider is for a particular location.

What if I don’t like any of the prices or contract terms you bring back to me?

If you do not like any deals that we bring back to you, you are under absolutely NO obligation to agree to any of them or sign any contracts.  While we fully expect to be able to meet your expectations in the market, if we are unable to find you pricing and contract terms that are acceptable to you, you are under no obligation to accept any deal we bring to you. 

How does Credo Energy get paid for its efforts?

We get paid only if you execute a supply contract that is acceptable to you.  We receive a fee for our services that is paid by the electric supplier.  This fee is a fixed amount of money for each kWh you consume, and it is built into the price of electricity on all deals we bring to you.  There is no up-front or ongoing cost to you for our services, other than what is already built into the electricity price.  We have no vested interest in one Retail Electric Supplier.  We use our size and expertise to negotiate terms and conditions of supply contracts on behalf of our customers.

What geographical areas does Credo Energy service?

Credo Energy currently supports deregulated markets in the following areas.

Illinois

Texas:  The following areas in Texas are capable of receiving deregulated electricity.  This list is subject to change.

Abilene Addison Aledo Alice Alief Allen Alpine Alvarado Alvin Amarillo Anahuac Andrews Angleton Aransas Pass Arlington Athens Atlanta Austin Azle Bandera Barker Bastrop Bay City Baytown Beaumont Bedford Beeville Bellaire Bellville Belton Big Spring Boerne Bonham Borger Bowie Brady Brazoria Breckenridge Brenham Bridge City Bridgeport Brookshire Brownfield Brownsville Brownwood Bryan Buda Buffalo Bulverde Burkburnett Burleson Burnet Caldwell Cameron Canadian Canton Canyon Canyon Lake Carrizo Springs Carrollton Carthage Cedar Hill Cedar Park Center Channelview Childress Clarksville Cleburne Cleveland Clifton Clute Coldspring Coleman College Station Colleyville Columbus Comanche Comfort Commerce Conroe Coppell Copperas Cove Corpus Christi Corsicana Crockett Crosby Crowley Crp Christi Crystal City Cuero Cypress Dalhart Dallas Dayton Decatur Deer Park Del Rio Denison Denton Denver City Desoto Devine Dickinson Dimmitt Donna Dripping Springs Dumas Duncanville Eagle Pass Eastland Edinburg Edna El Campo El Paso Elgin Ennis Euless Fairfield Falfurrias Floresville Flower Mound Forney Fort Stockton Fort Worth Frankston Fredericksburg Freeport Friendswood Frisco Gainesville Galveston Garland Gatesville Georgetown Giddings Gilmer Gladewater Glen Rose Gonzales Graham Granbury Grand Prairie Grapevine Greenville Groesbeck Groves Hallettsville Haltom City Hamilton Harker Heights Harlingen Hearne Helotes Hemphill Hempstead Henderson Hereford Hidalgo Hillsboro Hitchcock Hondo Houston Humble Huntsville Hurst Ingram Irving Jacksboro Jacksonville Jasper Jefferson Justin Katy Kaufman Keller Kemah Kemp Kennedale Kermit Kerrville Kilgore Killeen Kingsland Kingsville Kountze Kyle La Grange La Marque La Porte Lake Dallas Lake Jackson Lamesa Lampasas Lancaster Laredo League City Leander Levelland Lewisville Liberty Lindale Littlefield Livingston Llano Lockhart Longview Lubbock Lufkin Luling Lumberton Mabank Madisonville Magnolia Manchaca Mansfield Manvel Marble Falls Marlin Marshall Mathis Mc Kinney McAllen Mercedes Mesquite Mexia Midland Midlothian Mineola Mineral Wells Mission Missouri City Monahans Montgomery Mount Pleasant Mount Vernon Muleshoe Nacogdoches Navasota Nederland Needville New Boston New Braunfels Nocona North Richland Hills Odessa Orange Palestine Pampa Paris Pasadena Pearland Pearsall Pecos Perryton Pflugerville Pharr Pinehurst Pittsburg Plainview Plano Pleasanton Port Aransas Port Arthur Port Isabel Port Lavaca Port Neches Porter Portland Post Quinlan Quitman Raymondville Red Oak Refugio Richardson Richmond Rio Grande City Roanoke Robstown Rockdale Rockport Rockwall Rosenberg Round Rock Rowlett Rusk San Angelo San Antonio San Augustine San Benito San Juan San Marcos San Saba Sanger Santa Fe Schertz Schulenburg Seabrook Seagoville Sealy Seguin Seminole Sherman Silsbee Sinton Slaton Smithville Snyder Sonora South Houston South Padre Island Southlake Spearman Splendora Spring Spring Branch Stafford Stephenville Sugar Land Sulphur Springs Sunnyvale Sweetwater Taylor Temple Terrell Texarkana Texas City The Colony Tomball Trinity Tulia Tyler Universal City Uvalde Vernon Victoria Vidor Waco Waller Waxahachie Weatherford Webster Weslaco West Columbia Wharton Whitehouse Whitney Wichita Falls Willis Wills Point Wimberley Winnie Winnsboro Woodville Woodway Wylie Yoakum Zapata